


Summer Holiday

by itsnotlove



Category: Durarara!!
Genre: Action, Attempted Murder, Bickering, Canon-Typical Violence, Cell phones being tortured, Comedy, Confusion, Denial of Feelings, Established Relationship, Explicit Language, Explosions, Fights, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Holidays, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Torture, Jealousy, Kidnapping, Love/Hate, M/M, Misunderstandings, Multiple Timelines, Murder, Romance, Rumours, Sneakiness, Travel, Trust Issues, Well it's supposed to be funny, Yakuza, a lot of confusion, all stories coming together to create one massive fuckup, but no one too relevant, general confusion, i honestly don't know how to tag this, it's really not what you think but hooooly shit, lying, overarching storyline
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-31
Updated: 2015-05-24
Packaged: 2018-03-20 13:51:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 139,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3652788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsnotlove/pseuds/itsnotlove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Despite being in a relationship, the fights between Shizuo and Izaya continue without any sign of stopping. Maybe a holiday from the pair is just what the city needs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Brief Introduction to Chaos

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfiction, and I'm writing it for a friend. So! Feel free to criticise me as much as you'd like and I'll try to get better at this whole writing thing. =)

It all started with a fight.  
  
Ikebukuro is sweltering in the record-breaking heat.  The city itself seems moody, with brief power outages pushing the already exhausted populace to the edge.  Patience and understanding are two things that seem mythical, with everyone wanting to just get on with their business and get home.  
  
  
**_CRASH!_**

**_SHINK!_ **

_**BANG!**  
_

_  
_ Everyone in the surrounding area sighs almost in unison, knowing what those all too familiar sounds mean, but lacking any sort of survival instinct due to the heat.  On any other day, they would have scattered as soon as they heard the first growl, but on a day such as this they can't bring themselves to move at a speed that could risk their body temperatures rising.

  
_“III-ZZZAAA-YAAA!”_  
  
_**CRASH!**  
_

_  
_ The residents of Ikebukuro had naively thought that once the Monster of Ikebukuro and the Informant of Shinjuku had started dating these fights would be a thing of the past.  Granted, the amount of damaged public property had declined somewhat, but any time there was a lovers spat the two would out on the streets throwing knives and signs at one another once again.

  
_“HAHAHA! YOU REALLY MUST IMPROVE YOUR AIM SHIZU-CHAN, NO WONDER YOU ALWAYS MISS THE TOILET BOWL!”_

 

 _“YOU FUCKING BASTARD! I’LL REALLY KILL YOU THIS TIME!” BANG “STOP.MOVING.”_

 

_“HAHAHAHA!”  
_

  
These two really are inhuman if they can chase one another up the sides of buildings during this insane weather, let alone ignore the collective glare coming from the people below them.  
  
“I TOLD YOU TO STOP MOVING, YOU FUCKING FLEA!” Shizuo yells loudly, his voice sending unpleasant vibrations through all who are unlucky enough to be nearby.  Jumping to the ground, he sprints toward a vending machine and yanks it above his head with practiced ease.  Deep noises emerge from between clenched teeth, and he aims at the Informant briefly before throwing the machine as hard as he can. Luckily, all those in its path (including Izaya) manage to get out of the way in time. Unluckily, its path seems to include Russia Sushi, the one place Shizuo definitely _did not_ want that machine to hit.  
  
Shizuo feels his heart stop as he realises too late what he has done. Watching in horror, the machine zooms its way quickly toward the restaurant, before stopping mere centimetres away from its target.  Releasing the breath he hadn't realised he’d been holding, Shizuo jogs quickly toward what had very nearly become rubble as the vending machine is lowered to the ground, Simon stepping out from behind it.  
  
“Fighting not good,” he says happily, though his disappointment is barely hidden “Don’t throw machines at your lover. Give your lover sushi instead, make happy.”  
  
“Ah, yeah. Sorry ‘bout that,” Shizuo mumbles.  Even though he is still angry at his flea, he can't help but feel guilty for almost destroying Simon’s restaurant.  
  
“Hahaha, Shizu-chan!  It’s too bad that the only muscle of yours that never got any stronger was your brain. Look at what you almost did!” Izaya saunters up to the two men, the playful smile that strikes fear into the hearts of many gently resting on his lips.

Even though Shizuo knows that it does seem excessive to partially demolish a building because of an argument, he still can't get the anger bubbling under the surface to disappear. _‘That fucking flea accused me of pissing on the goddamn seat when he knows I didn't, and who is he to talk anyway when he never changes the fucking toilet paper?! And now he’s calling me stupid?!’_  
  
“Are those your last words, louse?” Shizuo takes a step forward, blinded to all but the flea in front of him.

Izaya simply raises his hands in mock surrender, “Shizu-chan is so scary! Waaah! Please don't hurt me, monster!”   
  
If the vein in Shizuo's forehead looked as though it was pulsing before, it looked set to burst now. Never taking his eyes off Izaya, he reaches for the vending machine in front of him and begins to lift it. Or, tries to at least. “Huh?” He looked at the machine that refused to budge in confusion.  
  
“Fighting no good. You get hungry, then you fight.” Simon was leaning on the machine, ensuring that it obeyed the laws of gravity. “Lovebirds no fight, come, eat sushi.”  
  
Shizuo stands confused, saddened by the lack of throwable objects in the area. Izaya merely laughs.  
  
“Simon, we aren't in high school anymore. You can't just make us eat your sushi whenever you feel like it. In any case, this argument is between Shizu-chan and I, it has nothing to do with you.”  
  
“You fight in street like children, I treat like children. Come, eat sushi. We talk inside.” Smile never faltering, Simon’s eyes make it clear that he will not be taking no for an answer. After a brief staring contest, Izaya sighs in defeat and makes his way into the store.  
  
“Come along Shizu-chan, let’s run inside like good children before we get in trouble”  
  
Shizuo looks up from the machine and to Simon, before following Izaya through the doors. He is hungry, after all.

 

**

 

Once inside the restaurant, Izaya and Shizuo take a seat each on the stools. Simon walks behind the counter, and places whatever food had already been prepared in front of them. The men look anything but impressed with the strange combination of flavours on their plates.  
  
“Eat sushi and listen,” Simon instructs, hovering above them. Once the men begin to eat (hesitantly), Simon sighs. “Fighting no good for city. Everyone too hot for your fights. Ikebukuro needs a holiday from fights."  
  
Izaya manages to swallow what tastes like mackerel and cherries, then takes a sip of water. “Simon, I think you are exaggerating. Shizu-chan and I do not fight often, and it is definitely not my fault that idiot decided it’s a good idea to throw mini-bus at me. If people have a problem with it, then they should either get over it or leave.”  
  
Shizuo nodded in agreement. “Ish nht my phlt-”  
  
“Don’t talk with your mouth full, you protozoan. At least try to act like a human you claim to be.” Izaya interrupts.  
  
“WHT ID YOY SHAY, MASHTASHD?” Shizuo pushes himself off the chair before swallowing. “You can’t even let me eat in peace!”  
  
“I don’t know if you’d call that eating or gorging. Just how quickly do you need to eat that you can forget to use basic table manners?”  
  
“I’LL SHOW YOU TABLE MANNERS!” Shizuo grips the counter in front of him and begins to drag it upward, fully intending to smash Izaya across the head with it.  
  
“Enough!” Simons voice seems to echo throughout the restaurant, halting Shizuo and Izaya instantly. “Ikebukuro need holiday from you. You two go on holiday. You two go now, come back happy.”  
  
Though they don't like being told what to do, Izaya and Shizuo know better than to make the Russian angry. Though unsure of what his anger would mean, they know for certain it wouldn't be anything nearly as fun or safe as their arguments. They look at each other, then back at Simon.  
  
“Well, a holiday couldn't hurt, I guess…” Scratching his head, Shizuo mumbles guiltily before adding “…as long as the flea pays.”


	2. Flying High

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shizuo and Izaya set off on their holiday.

“I don’t know how you managed to get through life before me, Shizu-chan.” Izaya whines, throwing clothes into an empty suitcase lying on the bed “How you can go through life only owning underwear, bar-tending outfits, and sweatpants? It’s unseemly.”  
  
“Pfft, like you know anything about being ‘ _seemly_ ’.” Shizuo fumbles through his pockets for his lighter, a cigarette dangling loosely between his lips, “Besides, we live in Tokyo. It’s not ‘sif I actually need anything for swimming.”  
  
“Of course not. You don’t _need anything_ dearest Kasuka hasn’t given you, right?” Giving up, Izaya sighs and zips the half empty suitcase “I suppose there’s no helping it. We’ll go shopping once we get th-“  
  
“No fucking way.  I am _not_ spending hours waiting for you while you try on every damn piece of clothing and pair of sunglasses in the area.”  
  
“Aw, Shizu-chan!  You make it sound like I’m some kind of teenager!" Moving to his feet, Izaya gestures toward the bags. "Why don’t you use that monstrous strength of yours to carry the luggage? We’re going to miss our flight if we don’t leave now.”  
  
“Tsk,” Shizuo rises from his position by the window and reaches for the suitcases, “I didn’t see you complaining about that strength in the shower this morning, _Izaya-kun._ ”  
  
“Don’t get so wrapped up in the past, Shizu-chan.”

  
**

 

The ride to the airport seemed longer than it actually was.  Izaya had been nonchalantly picking fights, whilst Shizuo tried to contain his rage by nearly destroying the door of the taxi.  It really was no surprise that the driver had been terrified, speeding to their destination and almost driving off with their luggage once they had arrived. To say that Izaya had been amused by this obvious behaviour would be an understatement.  
  
“Do you really find it necessary to terrify my humans so much?  It’s near impossible to play with them if they’re always running for their lives.”  
  
“Tsk, maybe they’re running from your smell.  And they don’t run away from me!”  
  
Izaya ignores the comment about his ~~smell~~ _scent_ , deciding instead to continue his earlier line of thought. “Shizu-chan. If they don’t run from you, then how do you explain the line to the counter parting like the Red Sea?  
  
Shizuo lifts his gaze from the floor in front of him and glances around. Indeed, the line is long, but the people queuing seem to insist on them going ahead. “Dunno,” he shrugs, maybe feeling a little uncomfortable. “Maybe they’re waitin’ for a different flight?”  
  
“No matter which flight they plan on taking, they’d still have to queue here.”  
  
Shizuo feels a mixture of embarrassment and shame at that. Despite his violent reputation, his soul is actually quite peaceful and he longs for anonymity. Other men in his position would likely flaunt their strength and use it for horrible deeds- to hurt or scare others- but Shizuo just isn't like that. He's gentle and calm (whenever he isn’t mad, of course), and feels guilty for interrupting the travels of strangers. Not that it was just _his_ reputation at work. His companion has quite the reputation himself and is known for being dangerous as well as, well, perhaps a little insane. It's no wonder why anyone who knew anything about them would to keep a distance- especially when you consider their colourful history.  
  
“H-hello, gentlemen. Where are y-you flying to today?” The mousy woman at the counter asks as they approach, knowing full well who the men in front of her are. Not having thought to ask about where they're going, Shizuo turns to Izaya and awaits his reply as well.  
  
“Hellooo,” Izaya almost purrs, making sure to flash the white of his teeth at the woman kindly, “We’ll be heading to Miyazaki this evening.”

Drumming his fingers on the counter impatiently, and he watches as the woman types on her keyboard as fast as she can, making use of the backspace key often in order to fix the mistakes she was nervously making.

“...Okay. C-Could you place your luggage up here please?”  
  
“Shizu-chan! Luggage, please!” Izaya clicks his fingers together twice, enjoying the look of indignation on his companions face.  
  
“Don’t be treatin’ me like your damn servant, louse.” Shizuo grumbles, moving the luggage up (but _not_ because Izaya told him to). The arrival of the men had worried the airport staff enough, but this exchange has the entire team of security guards finding reasons to stay even closer to the pair.  
  
The clerk returns to her keyboard before attaching labels to the luggage and having it sent behind the counter. “All done, here are your tickets. Please enjoy your fl-”  
  
“Aren’t you going to ask for some identification?” Izaya asks, struggling to keep his amusement out of his voice, “Why, how could you possibly know who we are? We could be anyone!”  
  
The woman stutters a little as her eyes widen, unsure of how to respond.  How could she possibly tell him that she'd lived in Ikebukuro growing up and knew exactly who the two men were, without either angering Shizuo or letting on that she was terrified of seeing the pair together?  
  
“Oi, stop it flea.” Shizuo grabs the tickets with one hand whilst the other grabs Izaya's, dragging his flea away from the (now thankful) woman toward the area where they’d be waiting for their flight. “You’re gonna hold up the line.”

“You’re no fun,” Izaya pouts childishly, allowing himself to be dragged behind his beast, “You never let me play with my humans.”  
  
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Maybe if you weren’t such an arse to them I wouldn’t have to stop you so much. Anyway, I have a question for you, since you think you know everything.”  
  
“How kind of you to finally acknowledge my brilliance! How will I be able to help you today? Would you like some advice on how to place wet towels in the hamper?”  
  
“What?” Shizuo somehow manages to fight the urge to crush his fleas hand, instead tightening his grip just enough so that he can feel the bones rub together. “No, idiot. I wanna know why planes can stay in the air.”  
  
“How planes fly? Well, that’s an easy enough thing to understand, but for you this might be difficult, so pay attention as I do not want to repeat myself.”  
  
“Like hell you don’t, you love hearing the sound of your voice.”  
  
“Well, that might be true. In any case, do _try_ to keep up.” Shizuo scoffs but otherwise stays quiet, leading them to the waiting area before forcing the both of them to take a seat in the recently emptied chairs. “The wings of the airplane are shaped in a very specific way, which forces the air to move more quickly over the top of the wings. Because the air moves faster, the pressure of the air decreases so that the pressure at the top of the wings is less than the pressure at the bottom of the wings. That difference in pressure creates a force of the wings that pushes and lifts the wings up into the air.”  
  
“Right… but… how does it stay up? Planes are really heavy.”  
  
“I just told you how.”  
  
“Yeah, but… air is really light. It shouldn’t be strong enough to hold up a whole plane.” As if to demonstrate his point, Shizuo raises his free hand in front of him before letting it drop, the look on his face becoming grim.  
  
“Shizu-chan… Are you afraid of flying?”  
  
“What?! No!”  
  
“So you have no problems being at least ten kilometres above the Earth, supported in thin air, with nothing but a thin metal floor between you and the hard ground below?”  
  
“…”  
  
“You’re so cute when you’re afraid! Hold on, let me just take a photo.”  
  
Izaya attempts to reach into his pocket to grab his phone but is rudely stopped “Tsk, I’m not afraid of anything. I’ve fought gangs you know!”  
  
“Of course I know that, Shizu-chan. I was the one who sent them after you, remember?”  
  
Shizuo scowls at Izaya and hands him his ticket, then stands up quickly. “I’m going for a smoke.”  
  
As he begins to walk away, a voice comes over the Public Announcement system advising that their flight is preparing to board and asking all passengers to please line up. Shizuo sighs and turns back on his heel, walking to the queue as instructed. Once again, the line parts, allowing him to become the second in line with Izaya in front of him. Presenting their tickets, they board the plane quietly.  
  
“Excuse me sir, um, Heiwajima-sama,” The attendant squeaks as Shizuo tries to follow Izaya into first class, “Um, your seat is in economy, not first class.”  
  
“Huh? What about him?” He motions with a thumb toward a beaming Izaya.  
  
“He’s in first class, sir….”  
  
“I-zay-a-kun! You bastard flea!” Shizuo growls, causing Izaya to laugh quite loudly.  
  
Thus begins what looks to be a very long flight for those unfortunate enough to be aboard.

  
**

 

“Excuse me, Orihara-sama. Would you care for something to drink?” An attendant asks once the flight had reached cruising altitude.  
  
“I’ll have a bottle of water, please. Also, would you be able to tell me if there has been a disturbance in the economy section?”  
  
Izaya is having the time of his life.  Not only was he in first class with more leg room than anyone his height should legally have access to, he has also managed to annoy his beloved beast.  
  
“Disturbance? Hmm, well…” The attendant lowers his tray table for him then hands him a bottle of water, “I wouldn’t say that there has been a disturbance, but it is a little rowdy back there. It’s as though they’re having a party. Would you like me to ask the passengers to quieten down?”  
  
The corners of Izaya's lips dip just a little, “No, that’s quite alright. However, I would like to know what you mean by ‘party’…”

  
  
Shizuo had never had so much fun with strangers before in his life, let alone with tourists. What had started as him opening (read: accidentally breaking) a stubborn lid from a bottle of beer had been turned into a game of ‘Can Shizuo Bend and Make This?’ The tourists returning from Tokyo to Miyazaki and had never heard of Shizuo’s fearsome reputation, and were handing him all sorts of things to bend into the patterns of his choosing. There were keys in the shape of stars and forks in the shape of hearts littering their seats, with more and more passengers making requests.  
  
“Heiwajima-san, you’re really something else!” One laughs, looking at the awkward crane formerly known as aluminium can. “Are you sure I can’t buy you something a little stronger to drink?”  
  
“Nah, I’m good with milk,” Shizuo replies happily, wiping away his milk moustache. “It’s just nice to use my strength for something useful, y’know?”  
  
“I’m sure there are plenty of useful things you could do.  Maybe you should start a shop doing this stuff, you’d get plenty of customers if you had live demonstrations!”  
  
Shizuo chuckles a little at that before taking another sip of his milk.  He's surprised that anyone had wanted to talk to him at all when he had been so angry after boarding. Maybe Izaya had the right idea about sitting on different parts of the plane; he would have just pissed him off if they’d been together.  
  
“Well, well. Don’t we look cosy?” A sickly sweet voice asks from in front of him “Are you having fun, Shizu-chan?”

Shizuos good mood suddenly felt like a distant memory. “Don’t get all jealous, Flea. You’re the one who chose to sit in first class and leave me back here.”

“Jealous? I am not jealous.” Izaya chuckles, absolutely not jealous. “And where else was I supposed to put you? They wouldn’t let me bring you on board as a pet, though I’m surprised you’re allowed to sit with humans at all.”  
  
Crushing the now empty bottle of milk in his hand, Shizuo struggles to keep a lid on his temper. _‘You’re on a plane, Shizuo. You can’t beat him to death here or the plane might crash. Don’t kill him here. Don’t kill him. Kill him. Kill. Killkillkillkillkil-‘_  
  
“You can’t say that!” Shizuo’s violent train of thought is cut off by one of his fellow passengers “You should apologise to Heiwajima-san. I don’t know who you think you are, but you should be ashamed of yourself!”  
  
The other passengers seem to agree, mumbling words to a similar effect in Izaya’s general direction. The thought that Izaya’s precious humans were against him almost bringing a tear to Shizuo’s eye.  
  
Regardless of the rebellion, Izaya laughs joyfully. “Oh? Why should I apologise to a monster such as Shizu-chan? I would thank you to mind your own business or else you might become _involved_ yourself.”  
  
“What’s that supposed to mean? Go back to first class, ya snob.”  
  
Whatever Izaya might have said in response would have probably been devastating, if only he had have been heard. Fortunately for those in his crosshairs, his response is covered by the jeers of the other passengers telling him to leave. Izaya shoots a look toward Shizuo, who has no problem showing Izaya just how hilarious he thinks the situation is, before turning quickly and leaving. They were lucky he needed to keep his blade hidden, otherwise the plane might have been soaked in blood by the time they landed.  
  
Once Izaya had retreated back to first class, the passenger who had initially defended Shizuo turns to him with a sympathetic expression. “So, who was that jerk, anyway? Someone you know?”  
  
Shizuo smiles widely as he answers, far too full of pride for someone who'd just allowed all of that to happen. “Ah, you could say that. That’s Izaya-kun, my boyfriend.”

Ignoring the looks of shock at how such a lovely man could be dating someone who speaks to him that way, Shizuo keeps a smile on firmly on his face. Izaya just looked so fucking adorable whenever he loses control of a situation, and it makes him feel like he's falling in love all over again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is quite short (it was supposed to be much longer), but never fear, there should be a much longer one on its way. Once again, please feel free to comment with criticisms. It's the only way I'll learn! :D


	3. Learning to swim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a long day of shopping, Shizuo decides Izaya needs help improving his diving technique.

By the time the plane lands, Shizuo is sick. 

The nervousness he experienced during the landing might have been easy enough to handle alone, but the ten bottles of milk he’d drunk (of which he’d only bought one) threatened to make a break for it from whatever exit possible.  He hadn’t been game enough to use the bathroom whilst the plane was in the air (why tempt fate?), and the bumpy landing turned his stomach into a death trap. On top of his current predicament, he also knows what else awaits him once he steps off the plane. Something that was far more frightening and sinister than the possibility of the plane going down…  
  
A shitty Izaya.  
  
Shizuo _had_ had fun at his flea’s expense whilst on the plane.  His new ~~tourist~~ local friends had been having quite the time insulting and making fun of the him, and Shizuo had been aware that they were being loud enough to be heard all the way in first class.  He knows he should have changed the subject or at least put a stop to it once one of the women had begun physically impersonating his flea (complete with wiggling hips and a high pitched voice), but he'd been drunk on acceptance at the time, and couldn’t have cared any less.

Now, however, he's terrified.  
  
He lines up in the aisles, standing as upright as he can manage ( _‘why didn’t I stop at six bottles?’_ ) and makes his way off the plane.  After promising his new friends that he’d visit before he flew home, he closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and prepares himself for the worst.  He's sure that Izaya won’t attack him while they are still in the airport, but he knows better than to let his guard down. The flea was the flea, after all.  
  
He opens his eyes and takes a few careful steps forward, bracing himself for an attack from any direction, but Izaya is nowhere to be found.  
  
Shit.  
  
He waits for around five minutes before deciding to make his way toward the baggage claim area, mournfully passing a men’s room on his way. Each step feels like hell, but he has to hurry. If he knows the informant as well as he thought, then he just _knows_  that if he doesn’t make it in time then he’ll be left behind and may be forced to spend the week at the airport ( _‘why didn’t I find out where we were staying?’_ ).  
  
He rounds the final (agonising) corner and makes his way to the baggage carousel, watching as the final few pieces of luggage make their way around.  After the second rotation, it starts to sink in that his luggage is definitely not going to be coming to him this way and he pulls out his phone before hurriedly switching it on.  He dials Izaya's number quickly, dancing from foot to foot, and prays that Izaya will at least be kind enough to answer his call.  
  
He hears a phone ringing from behind him and slowly turns around.  He feels as though he's in a horror movie about to die a horrible, painful, and humiliating death. He promises himself that no matter what, he will  _not_ wet himself- even if he is stabbed in the bladder. What he sees, however, is a whole new level of horrifying.  
  
Izaya is… smiling, and it looks genuine and happy. There is no hint of malice in those eyes, and the sight is almost enough for Shizuo to go back on his promise. The murderous aura that usually surrounds his boyfriend is gone and it couldn’t feel anymore wrong.  
  
“What’s wrong, Shizu-chan?” Izaya asks sweetly, tilting his head to one side “Are you not feeling well? I hope you weren’t too nervous during the landing.”  
  
Shizuo’s eyes widen in panic. This is definitely not good. _‘Shit!’_  
  
“Uh… um…” he splutters, “Izaya… are you feeling alright?”  
  
“Me? Of course I am!” Izaya smiles a little more widely and takes a step closer to Shizuo, “Why wouldn’t I be? We’re on holiday!”  
  
Shizuo unconsciously takes a step backward, unsure of how to handle the current situation.  He knows what to do when his flea is acting like a two-year-old throwing a tantrum, and knows how to defend himself when he's was angry, but this…  
  
Izaya reaches his hand out toward Shizuo, “Come along, Shizu-chan, let’s get a cab to the hotel. I don’t really feel like taking the bus right now.”  
  
_‘What do you mean, no bus?! There are more people on a bus! YOU LOVE PEOPLE!’_ Shizuo stares at the hand as though it's on fire, then tentatively reaches out to take it. “A-are you sure you’re okay, Izaya?”  
  
“Positive! You’re always so _considerate_ ,Shizu-chan, there couldn’t possibly be anything wrong as long as I have you by my side! But would you mind taking your suitcase? I don’t think I can carry both of ours with just one hand.” Izaya smiles sweetly, lips hiding his teeth expertly. If he weren’t so afraid, Shizuo would definitely be melting.  
  
Carefully taking his suitcase, he slowly moves it back and forth on its wheels a few times to check if it's been been booby-trapped. It seems to be clean, and after receiving an inquisitive look from Izaya they make their way out of the terminal and into a taxi. One of them beaming, the other confused, afraid, and trying really hard not to wet himself.

  
**

 

 

The taxi ride is uneventful for the most part.  Izaya had asked the driver to take them on the most scenic route possible despite the lack of sunlight, turning what should have been a 20 minute trip into a 45 minute one.  He'd been excitedly looking out the window, pointing things out to Shizuo occasionally and making idle chit-chat with the driver, but never once letting go of Shizuo’s hand.  
  
By the time they reach the hotel, Shizuo is in a great deal of pain. They check in slowly as Izaya has trouble locating his identification for the first time in his life. Shizuo refuses the offer of a bellboy to escort them to their room, and opts to grab both the suitcases and the key and sprint up the stairs to their instead, leaving Izaya to take the elevator. As soon as he opens the door, he drops the luggage on the ground and makes for the bathroom.

Ah, sweet, sweet release.

He can’t even bring himself to be embarrassed at the long moan that escapes him once he finally gets to relieve himself.  
  
Once he finishes, he washes his hands and looks in the mirror. There is no guarantee that his face will look the same as it does now in the morning and he wants to absorb it all one last time just in case, since it had been a gift from his parents. He splashes some water on his face, turns the tap off, and runs his wet hands through his hair. He looks around the bathroom, noticing a large shower and bathtub. Large enough to sleep in reasonably well, and there is a lock on the door…  
  
No, no, no. He has to go out into the room. Izaya might be angry, but he can’t stay in the bathroom forever. Besides, maybe he hadn’t heard everything that had gone on. Maybe he had decided to plug in his headphones and zone out, or he’d had a nap. In any case, shouldn’t Shizuo be pissed as well? He doesn't care whether he's in economy or not, but Izaya had deliberately separated them- even though this was their first real trip as a couple- just to piss him off. And even if that _was_ a good idea, it doesn’t give him the damn right to call him an animal just because he’d made a few friends! That God complex of his is at fault (though the complex itself wasn't, but Shizuo isn't in the mood for halfhearted regrets), and maybe if he hadn’t acted like such a prick, the other passengers wouldn’t have treated him like one! It’s not _his_ fault that Izaya had been ruthlessly mocked! Weren’t they supposed to love each other or something? Weren’t couples supposed to treat each other kindly?  
  
You’re god damn right they are! Shizuo takes one final look in the mirror and clenches his jaw before slowly beginning to exit the room. He balls his hands into fists and keeps them by his sides, prepared for anything the flea is going to throw at him. He opens the door and peeks through the crack before exiting fully. His flea is asleep, cuddling a pillow in the middle of the bed, and taking up as much room as he can.  
  
Shizuo really doesn’t know what to do.  _‘_

 _Is it a trap? Is he even asleep? I can’t remember if he packed explosives…’_ He steps closer to the bed, leaning over and watching his flea's face. His expression is relaxed and childlike, and his shoulders gently rise and fall with each steady breath. So much for the taking a nap on the plane theory.  
  
“Oi,” Shizuo whispers quietly, not really wanting to wake him up. “Oi, Izaya…”  
  
He is met with nothing but the sound of his own heartbeat in his ears. _‘Should I get in? If I do, will I wake up in the morning? Will any important parts be missing? Shinra always talks about how much my organs would be worth on the black market, would the Flea be angry enough to take a kidney?’_ Shizuo decides to take his chances and starts to slip out of his clothes, until he's wearing nothing but his boxers and his mismatched socks. He climbs in beside Izaya, gently giving him a quick pat down in case he's armed. Satisfied that he isn't, he tentatively wraps an arm around him and pulls him closer. Izaya moans quietly, mumbling something faintly before snuggling into Shizuo more closely. Letting his eyes shut, Shizuo prays to whichever god is on duty that he’ll wake up in the morning.

**

 

 

Izaya wakes up warm and uncomfortable, with the sun’s rays heating his face. He really should have changed before heading to bed, but that boring taxi driver had essentially sung him a lullaby with his dull and useless talk. Oh well, it had been worth it to watch Shizu-chan squirm. Izaya knew that, despite Shizuos reputation for impatience and a quick temper, the monster would not dare complain or hurry them up on their way to the hotel after that little performance on the plane. Just like Izaya knew that acting happy and loving was far more horrifying for the two than a knife between the ribs.  
  
Izaya can feel the heavy arm around him, holding him tightly even while its owner slept. Rolling over, he places his hand on Shizuo’s side, gently running a finger up and down, then settles for tracing “I hate you” on the blondes back over and over. Despite not being a morning person, this is definitely Izaya’s favourite time of day. He can watch his monster's face and soak it all in, never having it ruined by those stupid words, or his infuriating and unpredictable actions. Yes, seeing this face and knowing how confused it would be later had been worth all the humiliation on the plane yesterday.  
  
Izaya smiles to himself at the thought. Shizuo had been expecting him to do something in retaliation, but Izaya knows that Shizuo’s imagination can be far crueller than he ever could be. He’d keep up this façade for a little longer until Shizuo lets his guard down, then he’d chop him down where he stands and leave him bleeding. Shizuo stirs at Izaya’s chuckle, and opens an eye.  
  
“Mornin’,” he mumbles, leaning forward to kiss Izaya on the nose. He knows better than to try and kiss the informant properly before brushing his teeth. “How’d you sleep?”  
  
“I slept fine,” Izaya purrs softly, moving closer to absorb some more of Shizuo’s bodyheat. “How about you?”  
  
“Mmm… fine…” Shizuo closes his eye again and smiles for a moment, wrapping his other arm around Izaya and holding him close. He looks to be falling back to sleep, but then both eyes fly open and he shoot out of bed, dragging both a clinging Izaya and the sheets with him.  
  
“What’s wrong, Shizu-chan?” Izaya practically sings, fighting to hide his smirk as he slides down Shizuo’s body.  
  
“I… uh… um…” Comes the response. Shizuo runs a hand through his hair and looks down at Izaya, obviously confused. “Uh… how was… how did you sleep?”  
  
“I told you already, I slept fine,” Izaya replies, trying his hardest to look innocent. Shizuo is just so easy to play with, he almost can’t stand it.  
  
“…”

 “You should have a shower, Shizu-chan.  I’ll order us some breakfast and then we can go shopping.”

“Yeah, uh, that sounds good,” Shizuo murmurs and goes to his suitcase, digging out some fresh clothes.  
  
“It should be here juuuust before you finish in the shower…” Izaya watches him from the corner of his eye, waiting to see his reaction.  
  
“Alright, I’ll go hav- WAIT!” Realising what could happen, Shizuo panics a little.  
  
“Mm?”  
  
There's no way that Izaya can be trusted around his unguarded food at this point, as there's no telling what he might do to it. “Uh, actually, why don’t you have the first shower. I’ll order our breakfast.”  
  
“How kind of you Shizu-chan! Once the food arrives, why don’t you come join me?”  
  
“…”  
  
With that, Izaya makes his way to the bathroom, stripping as he walks, and listening to Shizuo order room service. He knows that as much as he wants, Shizuo won't risk following him into the shower in case he's planning something.

Today is going to be so much fun!  
  
Shizuo hears the shower come to life and pulls on the pants he’d been wearing the day before. That louse is definitely up to something, but he has no idea what. He pulls out a cigarette and makes his way to the balcony, leaning against the edge to take in the view. The pacific is such a beautiful blue, and there's no sign of clouds in the sky above him. Sighing, he lights his cigarette and takes a deep breath.

Today is going to be Hell.

  
**

 

 

Shizuo never did follow Izaya into the shower that morning, choosing to wait until after breakfast to clean himself up.  Though disappointed, he had thought it for the best considering the situation. He could hardly have left himself that exposed to a confusing (and most likely scheming) Izaya.

His first punishment, it seems, is shopping. Izaya had dragged him to three stores already, forcing Shizuo to try on what felt like one hundred outfits that mainly consisted of shirts with floral prints.  
  
Shizuo hates floral prints, just like he hates his girly nickname, but it seems to him that it may reduce his risk of being brutally murdered if he plays along, so he goes along with it.   
  
“Izaya,” he sighs, stepping out of the change room “Do you think we’ll be done soon? We’ve been doing this for hours and-”  
  
“Ne, Shizu-chan! What do you think of this?” Izaya flings something small and black at him, “I thought that since you were getting a new swimsuit, that perhaps I should as well!”  
  
Shizuo fumbles with the small piece of material in his hands and holds it up in front of him. “What the fuck, flea?”  
  
“You don’t like it? I thought it would suit me!” Izaya twirls around the mirror beside him, smiling confidently to himself. “After all, I do think I have the figure for it.”  
  
“You aren’t buying this, and you sure as hell aren’t wearing it.” Shizuo growls, his teeth clenched tightly shut.  
  
Izaya stopped his twirling and pouted “But _Shizu-chan_ , don’t you think it would suit me?”  
  
“…”  
  
“You know, you can’t force me to _not_ wear it…”  
  
“…” Shizuo threw the offending article across the store.

  
“Hmmph, why did you do that? You can’t just _throw_ things around here, we aren’t in Ikebukuro.”  
  
“…Izaya…”  
  
“Fine, I’ll just go buy another pair!”  
  
“YOU ARE NOT WEARING A FUCKING THONG, IZAYA- _KUN!_ ” Shizuo can’t remember when he’d lunged at the informant or when he’d grabbed him, and didn't notice the stares of other customers.  
  
“Shizu-cha-”  
  
“I said NO.”  
  
“Bu-”  
  
“NO, FLEA.” His grip tightens on the man’s wrist, and he leans into his ear “Don’t you dare forget you’re _mine,_ Izaya. Don’t go showing anyone else what belongs to _me._ ”  
  
Izaya feels a spark run down his spine as the words were warmly breathed into his ear, only loud enough for him to hear. He would never admit to anyone how amazing it felt to be so wanted and needed by Shizuo, even if he was being over-protective. “Fine, but you’re getting the board shorts with the pink flamingos on them and the shirt with the orange flowers.”  
  
“Whatever, but you are definitely going to wear a shirt and board shorts as well.”  
  
Exasperated, Izaya sighs dramatically. “I’m not wearing a shirt in the water, I’m not an old man. I will, however, wear shorts.”  
  
“Long ones. No hotpants.” Shizuo knows that if he doesn’t specify, the difference between a thong and a pair of shorts will be in name only.  
  
“You’re no fun, Shizu-chan.” Pouting, Izaya pulls himself away from his Monster. “Get changed, I’ll go buy these and meet you at the front of the store.”  
  
Shizuo nods before entering his changing room and quickly slipping out of the clothes, tossing them over the door to a waiting Izaya. No matter how hard he tries to control his temper, Izaya always pushes him just a little further and makes sure it slips out. Izaya will never let him forget that he is a monster, and takes every opportunity to remind him that he himself is a God (not that Shizuo had any problem with this, or with secretly worshipping him).  
  
Sighing, Shizuo makes his way to the front of the shop and toward Izaya. “Where to now, flea?”  
  
“Hmm… how about we head to the beach and get you some ice cream?” Izaya takes hold of Shizuo's hand and leads him from the store and toward the sparkling ocean.  
  
“Ice cream?”  
  
“Well, it can be my apology to you for making you mad.” Izaya dares not look his monster in the eye. Even he knows that he was pushing it by saying something like that.  
  
“…Izaya, did you just apologise? You never apologise.”  Shizuos voice is barely above a whisper. The man had seen quite a few things in his lifetime and could honestly say that he’d never been afraid. Shit, his best friend doesn’t even have a head attached for crying out loud, but Izaya apologising was something that truly bothers him. It's worse than seeing him happy. He fumbles a hand through his pockets for a smoke, accidentally burning his thumb when lighting up.  
  
“Well~, I shouldn’t have been so mean to you, Shizu-chan,” Izaya still keeps his gaze on the horizon. Swallowing a giggle, he cautiously continues, “I do love you, after all.”  
  
Cigarette dropping from his lips, Shizuos mind goes blank. He must be dreaming. He knows how Izaya feels for him, but he'd never thought that he’d actually hear him say it. Izaya is more of the type to express his emotions through actions, not words. He honestly never thought he’d hear him say it out loud in his lifetime! So to hear him say it so casually is… Ah.  
  
They're almost at the beach when Shizuo understands what is happening. He was right when he suspected that Izaya would be furious after the incident on the plane, but he’d been bracing himself for the wrong sort of impact. Since the majority of their arguments turned physical, he’d almost forgotten that the louse like to play dirty. He squeezes Izaya's hand a little too tightly, as anger rises to dangerous levels and threatens to consume him. It should occur to him that becoming enraged at his lover saying he loved him is insane, but he is past the point of no return. He needs release, and he needs it immediately.  
  
He stops walking just as they hit the path above the sand, forcing Izaya to halt as well before turning very slowly to face Shizuo. _‘I knew I took it too far, when do I ever say I love that brute? Ah, well it was fun while it lasted. At least we’re near the water, so maybe Shizu-chan will drown just a little bit if he chases me in there.’_  
  
“Shizu-chan… Is everything alright?” Izaya locks eyes with his beast, adrenaline pumping through his veins.  
  
“ _Izaya-kun,_ ” Shizuo drawls, gripping Izaya's hand and dragging him closer, “What did you just say?”  
  
“Oh my, it doesn’t look like there’s any ice cream stalls along here! We’ll have to get some on the way back to the hotel…”  
  
“Izaya, please repeat what you just said…”  
  
“I really don’t see why I should. I hate repeating myself.” Izaya lets his eyes wander away from his beasts, scoping out the surrounding area. If he doesn’t make it to the water, there are buildings he can steady himself on nearby. He should be fine, depending on what happens…  
  
“Don’t lie, Izaya- _kun_ , I know you love the sound of your own voice.”  
  
“Heh, you got me! But who couldn’t love dulcet tones such as mine?”  
  
“Iz-ay-a, please repeat yourself.”  
  
“Fine! I said that… I… love you?” Izaya drops the bags he was carrying and braces himself for the worst, but…  
  
Shizuo giggles like a damn child, “Oh, Iza-chan! I knew you loved me!”  
  
What?  
  
Shizuo pulls the informant in close and smothers him with a hug that leaves him (literally) breathless.  
  
“...Sh-Shizu-chan… can’t… breathe…”  
  
“Can’t you? I’m so sorry _sweetheart_ ,” Shizuo squeezes the man a little tighter and Izaya swears he can feel his ribs breaking “I feel _breathless_ around you as well.”  
  
“…S-Sh…an…”  
  
“Isn’t love wonderful? You never have to worry about anyone _lying_ to you or making you feel awful. Doesn’t love just make you feel like you’re _flying_?” Shizuo releases Izaya but makes sure to keep a grip on his forearms. Izaya coughs a little, resting his head on the larger man’s shoulder.  
  
Flying?

“Shizu-chan…” Izaya starts, before noticing that the ground is moving beneath him. Rather, he notices the ground remaining stationary while he himself is being swung in a circle above it.  
  
“Ahh, Iza-chan!” Shizuo coos sweetly, picking up speed and causing Izaya's body to become completely parallel to the ground, “Don’t you know I just love you SO FUCKING MUCH, YOU SHITTY FUCKING FLEA?!” Shizuo releases him and flings him a good 30 metres away into the ocean. He’d managed to get a fairly good spin on his lover, and watches as he dives into the ocean. Feeling much better, he picks up the bags, lights up another cigarette and makes his way over to a nearby bench to watch his boyfriend struggle onto the shore and throw a hissy fit about his now deceased phone.  Shizuo takes a long drag, chuckling to himself at the scene.

 

  
**

 

  
By the time Izaya reaches Shizuo, he's in a violent rage and damn near impossible to understand. His composure and dignity had apparently stayed in the surf, and he almost screeches, knuckles turning white whilst gripping his phone, complete nonsense at him. Shizuo tries his best not to smile at the scene, knowing it will only enrage the lunatic before him further, but it proves to be impossible.  
  
“WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING, SHIZU- _CHAN_?! IS THIS FUNNY TO YOU?”  
  
“Pffmph… No, not at all, Izay-”  
  
“You are quite OBVIOUSLY LAUGHING at MY expense!” Izaya rages, kicking Shizuo in the shin as hard as he can with every word. “And speaking of _expenses_ , is THIS how you TREAT the one who SO GENEROUSLY takes you on HOLIDAY?”  
  
“O-of course not, Flea,” Shizuo smirks, “But you have to admit, you had it coming.”  
  
“OH, DID I JUST?” Izaya starts reaching into his pockets, obviously not finding whatever it was he was searching for. “это пиздец!”  
  
Even though he can’t understand the words, Shizuo is pretty sure he understands the feeling behind what Izaya is saying. “Calm down, Izaya. Didn’t you keep a few spares at the hotel?”  
  
“Do NOT tell me to calm down, Shizu-chan! I am perfectly calm!” Izaya sounds more like an angry parrot than a God, spitting out each word.  
  
“Why don’t you take a deep breat-”  
  
“Пошел на хуй, Shizu-chan! NO FUCKING ICE CREAM FOR YOU!” Izaya huffs off in the direction of the hotel muttering to himself, leaving Shizuo shaking on the bench, desperately trying not to laugh loudly enough for the former god to hear.  
  
He silently thanks Simon for suggesting the holiday as he stomps on his cigarette, then picks up his bags and follows the fuming Izaya back to the hotel.

 

 

**

 

 

Meanwhile, Ikebukuro is enjoying the first day of its holiday from the two men.  Many businesses have closed for the day in order to give their staff a day off in celebration of the new found peace. There are more people than ever out in the streets, laughing with one another despite the crippling heat. The atmosphere can only be compared to celebrations that take place when a war ends.  
  
Russia Sushi is packed to the brim after its owners decided to have a half-price day (which was more to do with the old fish needing to be sold than the absence of the city’s two most famous residents), and a small television has been installed on the counter top where it played the news very quietly. Though nothing the violent pair did was particularly newsworthy to the citizens of Ikebukuro, they were well aware that people in other areas might disagree.  
  
Simon smiles to himself as he brings an order of sushi to the table in the corner, placing it in the centre. Yes, sending the men away for a week was just what this city needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the comments! I'm really happy that so many people are enjoying this fic so far. :D
> 
> The random Russian that Izaya is yelling is just an assortment of different curses words, essentially. I'm not totally sure about whether I wrote it correctly, but a Google has said I have. Sorry if it's wrong!


	4. Giving and Taking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shizuo and Izaya come to a compromise. Meanwhile, Simon begins telling the van gang a story.
> 
> (This chapter contains references to torture. Brace yourself if you're slightly squeamish.)

**_Knock, knock, knock._ **

  
“Flea, come on now, I said I was sorry,”

  
“…”

  
“…”

  
**_ZZZRT.  
  
_**

“…what was that noise, Izaya?”

  
“…”

  
**_Knock, knock, knock._**

 

“How many times do I need to apologise? Can you please open the door?”

 

“…”

 

“I brought some rice from the kitchen, the lady at the desk said that it’ll soak all the water from your phone.”

  
  
“…”

 

_Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump._

 

The door opens a few centimetres, showing nothing but a single eye surrounded by darkness. The eye moves south from Shizuo’s face and toward the bowl of dry rice in his hand. It then darts back up to Shizuo’s face, narrowing slightly.  
  
Shizuo’s eyebrows squish together as he frowns and the door opens a fraction more, allowing a thin arm to dart out and grab for the bowel. It was fast, but Shizuo is faster. Having slightly more room, he quickly sticks his foot into the opening and releases the bowl. Having pulled the bowl with too much force, the grains of rice became airborne momentarily before falling to the ground like snowflakes.  
  
Shizuo stifles a chuckle before pushing against the door as gently as his frustration will allow. Unfortunately, the body of an _extremely_ pissed off informant is now pushing all of its weight against it in an attempt to keep Shizuo out.  
  
“Tch, come on _Izaya_ , let me in!”  
  
“…”  
  
“People are going to think I’m trying to break in, Flea!”

“...nng” the pressure from the inside of the door became slightly stronger.  
  
“Come _on!_ Just tell me what I can do to make it up to you! I’ll anything!”  
  
The pressure lessens slightly and a small, barely audible voice comes from the darkness.  
  
“…anything?”  
  
Already regretting his promise, Shizuo sighs. “Yeah, sure. Anything. But just one thing!”

“…”  
  
“Izaya?”  
  
The pressure on the door relaxes completely, causing Shizuo to stumble headfirst into the darkness. He gropes the wall behind him for the light switch. Even though it isn’t dark outside at all, the heavy curtains prevent almost any light from coming inside the room at all. The light flickers to life, revealing the mess that is their room.  
  
“Uhh… Izaya… what were you doing?”  
  
“I wasn’t doing anything worth mentioning.” The room behind him begs to differ. Both their suitcases have been emptied, and pieces of clothing lay torn on the floor.  
  
“Ï take it you found your spare knives, then…” Shizuo mumbles, picking up what looks to be the remains of one of his vests.  
  
“Well, you broke something _I_ loved, so I thought it was only fair.” Izaya smirks, turning to sit on the bed.

“Kasuka gave me these for work…” Shizuo bites the inside of his cheek and curls his toes as hard as he can. He is _pissed_. At least when he broke Izaya's phone it had been an accident (sort of).  
  
“Kasuka, Kasuka, Kasuka! All you care about is that zombie brother of yours. How can you even tell if he loves you back? He wears the same expression to funerals as he does to parties.”  
  
“…”  
  
“What, can’t handle the truth Shizu-chan? Honestly, I don’t know why you even bother with that _idiot._ ” Izaya's lips curl as he said the last word, knowing exactly how hard Shizuo is trying to keep his temper in check. Teasing his monster and watching him try to suppress his rage always makes him feel better.  
  
“…Are you satisfied now?” Shizuo ignores the painful barb and exhales shakily. Izaya is feeling ~~petty~~ _hurt_ right now, and losing his temper isn’t going to help the situation.  
  
“I wasn’t, until you said you’d do _anything_ for me.”  
  
Shizuo gulps air down his throat. “What is it… that you want?”

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

Back at Russia Sushi, the amount of customers has dropped to the usual amount after the lunch rush.  The restaurant is filled with almost only the regulars, allowing everyone in the general area to overhear the conversation taking place at one of the larger tables.  
  
“Dotachin, you just don’t understand how love works!” A very excited sounding female voice almost shouts, “If they fight on the street, they’re gentle in the sheets!”  
  
Next comes the sigh of her obviously unwilling conversational partner.

“I don’t want to know about what they… _do_.” Kadota shudders a little at the thought, “I’m just saying that I’ve known those guys for years and I still don’t believe that they’re dating.  It’s probably just another rumour that Izaya has cooked up without Shizuo knowing.”  
  
The girl makes a series of unpleasant sounding noises before the man beside her cuts in, “Why would you think that? It does seem like one of Karisawa-sans BL fantasies, but they have stopped fighting as much. It doesn’t even feel like Ikebukuro anymore! It’s like Shizuo-san and Izaya-san have been replaced by their counterparts from another timeline, or alien replicants!”  
  
“This isn’t one of your books, Yumasaki. People don’t just get replaced by aliens and there aren’t any other timelines.” Kadota sighs again, wondering if there is enough oxygen in Japan to get him through this conversation, “And I don’t really believe it because every time you mention Izaya has come up in conversation, Shizuo just gets angry and starts yelling about him. It’s like nothing has changed!”

“You’re not observant enough, Dotachin! You don’t see the subtle glances they share every time Iza-Iza throws his knives or Shizu-chan throws a vending machine. It’s so obvious!” Finding her voice again, Erika continues enthusiastically. “I wonder who the seme is. Shizu-chan looks like he’d be a seme but I bet it’s actually Iza-Iza! Especially since Shizu-chan’s body heals so quickly, I bet that comes in handy whenever Iza-Iza uses a whip or doesn’t use any lube and just shoves his c-”  
  
Fortunately for the other customers, Erika is cut off by a clang on the table in front of her.  
  
“Eat sushi, talk of rough love makes you hungry.”  
  
Kadota gives Simon an apologetic look before taking a piece off the tray in front of him.  
  
“Simon, do you know if Shizuo-san and Izaya-san are actually _really_ dating?” Walker asks before the Russian giant has a chance to escape, “They still act like they hate each other, and their ‘holiday’ could easily be an excuse for them to regroup with the other replicants!”

“Yes, they date, they love,” Simon smiles.  
  
“OOOOH! I TOLD YOU, I TOLD YOU!” Erika squeals, “I just knew that they’d get together somehow, I bet they realised their love for each other in the rain! Shizu-chan chasing Iza-Iza, before Iza-Iza stopped and tried to stab Shizu-chan with his-”  
  
Erika is silenced quickly with one of Walkers hands, though that doesn't stop her hand signals and excited mumbling.  
  
“I’m sorry, Simon. You know what they’re like….”  
  
“Fine, fine.” Simon replied, “But Shiz-u-o and Izaya love much. They fight like children, but love like men.”

“How do you know, Simon?” Walker asks as he removes his hand from Erika’s face. Erika is silent now, wanting to hear every (hopefully) juicy detail.  
  
“Did they tell you that?” Kadota asks cautiously, his curiosity piqued as well.  
  
“Yes, yes, I know.”  Simon looks around the restaurant, and after seeing no work to be done, decides to tell them the story of how the Informant of Shinjuku and the Monster of Ikebukuro ~~put aside and learned to love~~ _ignored_ their differences and became lovers.

  
  
  
**

 

  **_A year and a half earlier, Ikebukuro  
  
  
_ **

It was unseasonably cold and unreasonably quiet.  No one had seen the Informant of Shinjuku in Ikebukuro in over two weeks, which meant an unsteady peace held the city captive.  Well, it was peaceful by Ikebukuro standards at least.  
  
The sight of a man flying backwards through the air and smacking hard against a building caused the surrounding citizens to scatter like rats on a sinking ship. A tall blonde dressed as a bartender stormed over to the crumpled body laying against the foot of the building, chased by a shorter man with dreadlocks.  
  
“Calm down, Shizuo.  We can’t get any money out of him if he’s dead,” the man reasoned with the blonde, “I’ll just grab his wallet.”  
  
The blonde stopped in front of the now semi-conscious man and huffed, grabbing the scruff of his neck and raising him off the ground one handed, before moving the limp body in the direction of the other man. “Here you go then, Tom-san.  Sorry I got carried away again.”

 

“It’s okay, you did less damage this time,” Tom frisked the man’s pockets, quickly locating the wallet and grabbing out a handful of cash, “We’ll see you next month, okay?  Make sure you don’t try to another fight next time.”  
  
The man moaned in response as he was dumped unceremoniously to the ground.  
  
“Why don’t we call it a day, Shizuo? Let’s go grab something to eat.”  
  
Shizuo pulled out a smoke, nodding to his senpai, “Sure, sounds good.”  
  
The pair walked off, heading down an alley on their left.  Tom was talking to Shizuo about their schedule for the next day, but was rudely interrupted by three loud bangs and a small explosion.  
  
_‘Did I trip again? No, if I’m falling that means I’ve been shot, right? I hope Tom-san is okay…’_

 

The last thing he saw was the ground rising up to meet his face, and he heard someone start to talk close by.

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

  
  
“I want a date. Buuut, I want my idea of a perfect date.” Izaya’s smile widened as he spoke the innocent sounding words.  
  
“Izaya, I want you to answer me honestly.” Izaya nodded and Shizuo attempted to find the right words for his question, “How much blood will I be losing during this date?”  
  
Izaya chuckled softly to himself, and moved backward to seat himself on the edge of the bed. “What sort of activities do you think I’d enjoy on my perfect date?”  
  
“Well… You might try to sell parts of me, or sell me, or use me as a shield…” despite the ridiculousness of his words, Shizuo had learned from the past just what the man standing before him considered ‘fun’. “Or maybe you’d want to slit my throat and hang me upside down, or see how far I can fall before breaking a bone, or you might send me home to Shinra with a video camera for a few hours…”  
  
“Whilst all of those sound like delightful ideas, I’m afraid I have something slightly more socially acceptable in mind.” Izaya patted the space next to him, and a wary Shizuo slowly moved to sit next to him on the bed. “Do you know why I chose Miyazaki as our holiday destination?”  
  
Shizuo shook his head.  
  
“Miyazaki used to be one of the most popular places for couples to honeymoon together, though it’s not nearly as popular now as it once was but it is still quite ro-” Izaya cut himself off, hoping Shizuo wouldn’t notice. “ _Close_ to two other places I’d like to visit, Takachiho and Kirishima, though I’ll explain why later.”  
  
“I see…” Shizuo hadn’t noticed or cared about what Izaya might have been about to say, as he was too worried about the other two locations. “And will we be visiting them for our holiday, or…”  
  
“Not for work, Shizu-chan. You have me for the whole~ week, whether you appreciate your good fortune or not.”  
  
Shizuo studied the brunettes face for a moment, before shaking his head and reaching his hand out to cup the others cheek. “You know I… you know…”  
  
Izaya leaned his face into the others palm, eyes half-lidded and the hint of a smile on his lips. “Mm, I know.”  
  
Even though the words had been spoken for the first time earlier in the day, it was this simple confession of nothing that meant the most. Neither man would likely ever say the three simple words seriously to the other, though they would never need to. Their love for each other, though violent and beyond comprehension, was more obvious to the two of them than anything else in the world.  
  
“But, the date only lasts for two hours.”  
  
“Eight.”  
  
“Eight?” Shizuo scoffed and removed his hand, choosing to fold his arms against his chest instead. ”What exactly would you do on an eight hour date? Make it three.”  
  
“Fine, but you wear whatever I want you to wear.” Izaya’s eyes twinkled with the hint of mischief.  
  
“Fine! But we aren’t doing anything violent.” Shizuo countered, still fearing what the other man had in mind. “And I have to be clothed, I don’t want you to make me streak or something.”  
  
“Aww Shizu-chan!” Izaya pouted, “What if I wanted us to go to a nude beach?”  
  
“There’s no such thing!”  
  
“Sure there is! It’s all the rage in Europe, and we could get a proper tan without any lines~”  
  
“Flea, I _told_ you already,” Shizuo uncrossed his arms, placing one hand beside his flea whilst leaning his face toward him, growling out the next sentence, “Do not going showing others what belongs to _me._ ”  
  
Izaya let a mask of disgust hide his happiness and scoffed, “Since when did I _belong_ to _you_ , Shizu-chan? You can’t even catch me!”  
  
“I’ve caught you once, and I’m not letting you go any time soon.” The cracks in Izayas mask were obvious to Shizuo, but he’d never let Izaya know. Shizuo smiled a little before capturing the other man’s lips with his own for a chaste and surprisingly gentle kiss. “Once was all I needed.”  
  
“Tsk,” came the reply, “Well, it’s almost five, we better get ready for our date! Can you bring me our shopping bags?”  
  


  
**

 

 

 

Shizuo had never regretted anything in his life as much as he regretted letting Izaya choose his clothing for the evening ( _‘who needs an hour and a damn half to get ready!?’_ ).  Though Izaya himself looked handsome and suave, he had not been as kind to the blonde.  
  
“Look, I know this is meant to embarrass me,” Shizuo gestured to his ridiculous outfit, consisting of an orange Hawaiian shirt, and his black bartending pants tucked into calf-high white socks, with tan sandals, “But aren’t _you_ embarrassed to be seen with me like this?”  
  
Izaya gave Shizuo a quick once over and paused thoughtfully, “Hmm, now that you mention it you’d think I would be. I suppose that being sent flying into the Pacific and seeing my life flash before my eyes helped me put things into perspective.” He placed a pair of oversized sunglasses onto the blondes head, chuckling quietly to himself. “Perfect!”  
  
Feeling quite helpless, Shizuo attempted to reason with the informant as a last resort. “I thought we were heading out for dinner. Will any of those fancy places let me in like this?”  
  
“Hmm, maybe they’ll give you a bowl and let you eat outside the door like the animal you are.”  
  
“ _Izaya…_ ” Balling his hands into fists with enough pressure to create diamonds, Shizuo tried his hardest to ignore the voice in his head telling him that the toilet could be used as a weapon. He’d known when he’d agreed to this that Izaya (the fucking bastard) would make this painful for him.  
  
“Don’t worry your pretty little head,” Izaya tapped his index finger on his monsters nose which each word, then reached for the purple item by the sink, “we’ll just give you a jacket and they won’t be able to complain.”  
  
“…I don’t think this will make a difference.”  
  
“ _Everyone_ knows that purple and orange go together, Shizu-chan. Unless…” Izaya gasped dramatically, before putting on the best teary-eyed face he could manage “You… you don’t want to go on a date with me…”  
  
Even though he knew Izaya wasn’t serious, Shizuo found that he couldn’t ever say no to that face. In fact, he could barely ever say no to anything his flea asked for. He took the jacket in his hands, sighing before shrugging it on and looking in the mirror.  
  
“I look like a clown.”  
  
“Good,” Izaya’s face transformed immediately into one of pure joy. _‘Now no one will try to hit on you tonight, not that you’d even notice anyway. Stupid beast.’_ “Let’s leave then, we don’t want to be late.” _  
  
_ “You’d already reserved everything before I agreed, huh?”  
  
“Of course, I booked everything the moment I organised our tickets. It’s always better to be prepared.” Izaya exited the bathroom and headed for the door, flicking off the lights as he went.  
  
Shizuo shuffled out behind him, already knowing the answer to his next question. “Do I even get a say in what we do while we’re here?”  
  
“No.”  
  
  


  
**

 

 

 

**_A year and a half earlier, Ikebukuro?  
  
  
_ **

 

Darkness was what greeted Shizuo once he opened his eyes. Groaning to himself, he sat up and tried to get his bearing, not noticing the leather restraints that had attempted to hold him snapping once he moved. Scratching the back of his head, the last thing he could remember was thinking he’d been shot when he was finishing a job with….  
  
“Tom-san?” he asked the room nervously. Just because he could survive almost anything didn’t mean that his senpai could. Not hearing anything in return, he decided to try and find a light. He snapped the restraints around his ankles and let his feet fall to the floor beneath him. The floor felt hard and cold, and he realised that he was no longer wearing his shoes. This caused him to realise he wasn’t wearing his trademark uniform, either. Thankfully, he did seem to be wearing a pair of boxers.  
  
“What the hell…” he ran a hand down the front of his body, deciding that now was as good a time as any to check himself for holes, “What sort of fucking _pervert_ undresses another man without his permission?”  
  
He located two stitched bullet wounds, one in his thigh and the other in his side. Remembering three shots, he began to worry for his senpai. Had the other shot hit him? Where did he get hit? Would he make it? Shizuo nervously ran his hand through his hair and noticed the uncomfortable sensation as he did so.  
  
Oh.  The other bullet had hit him in the head. What fantastic luck!  
  
The blonde smiled to himself in relief and decided to make his near-naked get away. Using his hands as guides, he made his way to a wall and started running his hands over it to try and find a switch. After searching each of the walls and finding nothing but a locked door, he decided to use a different approach. He kicked the door open and entered the hallway.  
  
The sound of his escape had not escaped the attention of whoever had brought him there, and he heard the sounds of hurried steps in front of him. _‘These bastards want to make me stay, huh?’  
  
_ He stepped closer to the wall hoping to catch whoever was after him off-guard. They ran close enough to him for him to get a in a hit, the force of his haymaker sending them flying down the hall crashing into whoever the second person was. Shizuo switched to the opposing side of the hallway and crept forward carefully. He had no idea if these people were armed, and he needed to stay on his toes in case they decided to be irritating and shoot him again. As he neared the fallen bodies, he could hear slight movement.  
  
“He-Heiwajima-sama.”  
  
Eh? Sama? What?  
  
He decided to hold his tongue and wait for the man to continue.  
  
“We didn’t think you’d be awake yet, Heiwajima-sama.” The man groaned, and Shizuo assumed he must be the one who was on the bottom of the human pile. “OI! CAN YOU HIT THE LIGHTS?”  
  
The hallway lit up at the man’s instruction and Shizuo had to blink a few times to adjust. In front of him were two men, one unconscious and the other staggering to his feet.  They looked surprisingly normal, dressed in casual wear and not sporting any tattoos or colours.  
  
“Who the hell are you?” Shizuo asked gruffly, stepping forward slowly “What sorta coward shoots a man and steals his clothes, eh? A real fuckin’ pervert.”  
  
The other man stepped back quickly, arms in the air “I-I-It wasn’t me, I didn’t shoot you! I’m just here to make sure you didn’t die!”  
  
“What? So you kidnapped me then?” Shizuo had already started his transformation from gentle man to wild animal, incredulous with his treatment, “What’d you bastards do to Tom-san?”  
  
“Tom-sa- OH! Oh! He’s fine, they only brought you and they made sure he wasn’t hurt! They just knocked him out with some chloroform!”  
  
“Knocked him out, huh? I don’t care what sorta punch you used, if you’re prepared to shoot me and hurt my senpai, you must be prepared for what comes next, RIGHT?!”  
  
Shizuo leapt forward and kicked the man in the stomach. The man was forced backward, feeling his ribs break as he went, and slid on the ground. The monster stalked his prey quickly until he was right in front of him, foot resting against the wounded man’s ankle.  
  
“Who the fuck are you and why am I here?” He began to add pressure to the ankle beneath him, causing the man to cry out in pain. “Speak Japanese!”  
  
“I’m j-just here to patch you u-up!” the man squeaked out, fighting the pain that was overtaking him and trying to spit out the words “They wanted you f-for something but I don’t know w-what! I swear!”  
  
Shizuo huffed and released the man’s ankle. He didn’t have it in him to torture someone anyway, he wasn’t like that _flea bastard._  
  
The flea.  
  
“Where’s that fucking bastard?”  
  
“W-who?”  
  
“Izaya. This whole fucking thing stinks of him.” Shizuo spat the words out as though they were poison.  
  
“I-Izaya..? Could you mean-” the man was cut off by a loud and painful sounding yell coming from a room not far away.  
  
_‘Found you.’  
_  
Shizou lightly kneed the man in front of him in the face to knock him out before running toward the sound of the yell. _‘I bet this is another one of your fucking games. You’re probably screaming so I go easy on ya because I think you’re injured. HA! NOT A FUCKING CHANCE, YOU’RE FUCKING DEAD IZAYA!’  
  
_

The monster made it to the room where he thought he’d heard the noise and kicked open the door.  
  
**_“IIII-ZZZAAAYYYY-AAAAA-KUUUNN!”_**

 

“Hello Shizu-chan, would you mind coming back later? As you can see, I'm a little tied up at the moment and can’t come play today.” Izaya was slightly panting, strapped to a table not unlike the one Shizuo had woken up on and was dressed similarly. Of course, Shizuo noticed the fresh blood covering the Informant before he noticed his attire.  
  
“The fuck is going on, flea?” Shizuo slowly walked into the room, glancing around for traps, “You think kidnapping me is fun, EH?”

  
“Shizu-chan, as I said, I’m a bit too tied up for that at the moment.” Izaya motioned his cut and bloodied fingers toward himself, “Do you really think that I’d have the time or the inclination to come see _you?_ If I had wanted to look at monsters I would have hired a movie. So can you kindly leave?”  
  
Yes, Orihara Izaya would much rather be tortured for another two weeks than give his enemy the satisfaction of saving him. _‘That idiot probably thinks this is some sort of kink for me. I bet he hasn’t even noticed anything wrong with this situation.’  
  
_ Shizuo looked over Izaya’s battered body carefully, taking a step forward without realising it. He grimaced at the particularly gruesome wound on the fleas chest, before shifting his gaze to the Izaya’s face which was giving him the most condescending look imaginable. Unable to help himself any longer, Shizuo gave in to the feelings that stirred inside of him. He knew it was wrong, he knew it didn’t make sense, but he was unable to contain himself any longer.  
  
Izaya’s eyes widened in shock at the sound of the deep laughter coming from the monster in front of him. He quickly changed his expression, opting instead for a frown.  
  
“As expected of a monster, of course you find this situation hilarious.”  
  
Shizuo was doubled over laughing, but attempted a response anyway “But flea, you gotta admit you’ve had this comin’ for a while now.”  
  
“…”  
  
“What’d you do this time? Nah, don’t tell me, I don’t wanna know,” The laughter started to lessen and Shizuo stood upright and looked the flea in the eyes, “Well, I’ll be off then. No fun killin’ ya if someone has already done this much.”  
  
“Yes, do run along before some poor villain tries to stop you.”  
  
“Stay out of ‘bukuro when ya’ get free.”  
  
“…”  
  
Shizuo turned and left the room, opting to walk down the as-yet unexplored hallway. He made it to a stairwell and began to descend, thinking about the damage inflicted upon Izaya. Maybe he shouldn’t have left him there without doing something, but it really wouldn’t be satisfying to punch him if he was restrained. Besides, he really needed some clothes and a smoke.  
  
Lost in his own thoughts, Shizuo didn’t notice the hurried footsteps from above him.  
  
“Heiwajima-san, before you leave could we have a quick chat?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope this chapter doesn't seem too strange, it took a little longer to put together because of how the story skips so it might not read as smoothly as I'd hoped. D:
> 
> This isn't as fluffy as I had hoped for, but there is definitely some fluff coming up. :D


	5. The Perfect Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shizuo learns to play footsie, and a mysterious man in the past makes an offer whilst holding Shizuo's pants hostage.

**_A year and a half earlier, Ikebukuro  
  
  
_ **

“Here, catch.  I trust these are your usual brand of cigarette?”  
  
Shizuo caught the packet and tapped one out. “Got a light? Or some pants?”  
  
The man in front of him stepped down toward him, striking a match and offering the small flame to Shizuo. Shizuo watched the flame dance on the end of the small wooden stick, confused as to what to do. He wasn’t the type to have others, especially those who kidnap him, light his cigarettes for him. The act seemed far too intimate by itself but was amplified by his distinct lack of clothing. Instead, he met the gaze of his would-be captor.  
  
“Ah, my apologies Heiwajima-san.” With a small flick of his wrist he extinguished the flame and handed the box to the blonde, “A force of habit, I’m afraid.”  
  
Shizuo remained silent, taking the box and lighting a stick of his own, eyes staying on the man in front of him.  
  
“I thought you would be more talkative, but I suppose men of few words do have a certain charm.” The man smiled warmly, before turning away and heading back up the stairs. “If you wouldn’t mind, I’d prefer to speak somewhere a little more comfortable.”  
  
Shizuo watched the small back in front of him and decided to follow at a reasonable distance. This whole situation was strange. One minute, he’s talking to Tom-san about dinner, and the next he’s standing in a staircase, practically naked, accepting cigarettes from the man who brought him here ( _‘Isn’t he afraid of me?’_ ), whilst the flea is being tortured upstairs. He couldn’t be certain that his incredible strength would be enough to save him should the worst happen.  
  
“-ma-san, this way please.”  
  
Shizuo was forced from his thoughts to the person in front of him as he gestured to a room that seemed to be next to the place the flea was being held. “You first.”  
  
“My, my, aren’t we cautious? Well, if you’ll excuse me then.” The man entered the room, flicking on the lights as he went. Shizuo followed slowly, looking around the room as inconspicuously as possible. “Why don’t you take a seat over there? I won’t be a moment.”  
  
Shizuo sat in the cushioned leather chair and folded his legs tightly. He might be a monster, but he felt as though his mother would be ashamed if he didn’t at least attempt to cover himself somehow.  The man walked quickly to a computer and double-clicked the wireless mouse beside it, causing the display screen to come to life. Humming softly to himself, he opened a program of some sort and an image took over the screen.  
  
“What’s that?” Shizuo leaned forward slightly, squinting to try and the image more clearly.  
  
“Oh, this? It’s just surveillance of our guest.”  
  
Sure enough, the picture was actually a video. More accurately, it seemed to be a live stream of the flea.  
  
“Shall we turn up the volume? I suppose you’ve heard him crying in pain before, but it’s one of those sounds that never gets old.”  
  
“Pfft, crying is too human for that _thing_. And I’m not like you and him, I don’t get off on torturing or fucking around with other people. I hate violence.”  
  
“Ah, that’s right. Well, I’m going to have a little listen anyway. It can set the tone for our conversation, and you might even enjoy it.”  
  
The man directed his attention to the small computer speakers and pressed a button. The light on the side turned red then yellow, and the flea’s voice, though impossible to understand clearly, was heard through the small black boxes.  
  
Shizuo chuckled a little. “Told ya’ he wouldn’t be crying.”  
  
The stranger in front of him frowned, “Yes, well, he should be. I would never have guessed that he’d be _singing._ ”  
  
“Like I told ya’, the parasite ain’t human.”  
  
The man turned off the speakers and walked to the chair in front of Shizuo. Sitting down, he sighed loudly. “It really is a good thing you’re here then.”  
  
“If we’re talkin’ about good things, I think having pants would be one of them.”  
  
“Yes, yes, you’ll receive your clothing at the end of this conversation. I can’t have you walking off until you’ve heard what I have to say first.”  
  
“And what would that be? Don’t think that I won’t just walk like this.”  
  
“I think we both know you won’t, so don’t bother lying to yourself Heiwajima-san.” The man linked his fingers and moved them behind his head, leaning into them. “Before we start, do you have any questions?”  
  
“Why am I naked, and why are people calling me ‘sama’?”  
  
“That was so the doctor could treat your wounds, I can assure you that your virtue remains intact. As for the honorific, I would assume that they are attempting to show you respect as you are our guest.”  
  
Shizuo grunted, stubbing his cigarette in the ash tray beside him. “Why’d I get shot then?”  
  
“I do apologise for that.  From our research, we gathered that the safest way for all involved was to have you go to sleep for a little while. We definitely weren’t trying to kill you or your associate, though the grenade might have been overkill.”  
  
‘ _Grenade? That explains the explosion then…_ ’ Shizuo thought to himself. “Why’d I need to be knocked out?”  
  
“Would you have come with us had we asked politely?”  
  
“…”  
  
“As I thought. Now, if you have no further questions I’d prefer it if we could begin our conversation.”  


 

 

 

**

 

 

 “Simon! You have orders.” Dennis yelled out over the noise, interrupting the story.  
  
“Aww, but the story is just getting good!” Erika whined, “Tell Dennis to do it himself, you do pretty much everything around here!”  
  
A small knife whirled past her face and into the wall. Stunned for a moment and wondering if she was experiencing a flashback, she turned to the counter of the restaurant. Dennis had his back to them, both hands apparently busy with something else.  
  
“No, I work now. Eat more sushi for dinner, stay for story after.” Simon stood and walked away quickly, knowing that if he didn’t get back to work now that the next knife would be much closer.  
  
“Now what do we do?” Walked asked no one in particular.  
  
“You heard what Simon said,” Kadota shrugged, “I guess we eat more sushi.”

  
“Why don’t we just ask the Dollars instead?” Walker pulled his phone his phone and unlocked it with his thumb, “I’m sure someone else knows.”  
  
“That’s a great idea!” Erika leaning onto the blonde, almost knocking him out of his seat, “Should we make a new post or try and find a thread?”  
  
“I think there are some threads about them already, but it’s mainly BL stuff.”  
  
“Eee! I’ve seen those! One girl is going to draw up a manga!”  
  
“No way! An amateur would disgrace the art form!”  
  
“Who said she’s an amateur? Maybe she’s really good! I heard she does it professionally.”  
  
“Guys, no! We are not asking the Dollars,” Kadota snatched the phone from the other man’s hand “The last thing we need is Izaya finding out we’re interested, and he _will_ find out.”  
  
“But Dotachin! I can’t wait until after Simon is done, I want to know how Iza-Iza stole Shizu-chan’s heart now~!”  
  
“If you don’t mind waking up at the bottom of Tokyo Bay that’s fine, but I don’t want to die because you can’t wait for an hour or so.”  


“I don’t think Izaya would kill us over this.” Walker tried to grab his phone back, only to have Kadota sit on it.  
  
“I don’t think he’d kill us, but he’d definitely hide our bodies after Shizuo did.”

 

 

 

  
**

 

 

 

 

Shizuo and Izaya were guided to a table by the window, and received several bemused looks along the way.  Shizuo’s face was a slight red as he felt utterly humiliated. Izaya, on the other hand, had a massive smile plastered on his face.  Shizuo sat down quickly and grabbed the wine menu, using it as a shield against the stares.  
  
Izaya cleared him throat loudly.  
  
“…”  
  
Izaya coughed.  
  
“…”  
  
“Shizu-chan~”  
  
“What?” his monster replied gruffly, peeking over the top of his menu at an Izaya who was still standing.  
  
“Aren’t you going to pull my chair out for me?” his flea asked sweetly, tilting his head slightly.  
  
“…”  
  
“You _promised_ you’d take me on my perfect date, Shizu-chan.” Izaya pouted and feigned a look of sadness, “Are you embarrassed because… I’m… a man?”  
  
“Fuckin’ flea.” Shizuo slammed the menu on the table and stood up, ignoring the looks from his fellow customers. He walked to Izaya’s side and pulled the chair out quickly.  
  
“Thank you, Shizu-chan.” Izaya bent his knees slightly so he could take his seat, but suddenly felt his feet leave the ground.  
  
“You’re welcome, _sweetheart._ ” Shizuo held him like a princess for a moment and gave him a sloppy, wet kiss on the forehead before lowering his flea to the seat and pushing it in roughly. “ _Anything_ for you.”  
  
Izaya’s expression was one of amusement, but the reddened tips of his ears gave him away. Shizuo laughed a little to himself as he returned to his chair.  
  
“Why are you looking at wines?” Izaya leaned forward, using a finger to drag the menu away from Shizuo’s gaze “Aren’t you just going to order milk like you always do?”  
  
“You aren’t gonna complain about it this time?”  
  
“I suppose that I’ve put up with it for so long that I’ve become desensitised to such childish behaviour.” He gazed out the window and his eyes searched the beach.  
  
“Aren’t you gonna see what you want to order?” Shizuo kept his eyes on the menu, trying to find something he recognised.  
  
“I’ve already seen the menu and have made up my mind.”  
  
“Sounds like you, never heading into anything without knowing everything about everything first.”  
  
Izaya laughed a little, “Well, I _am_ an informant, Shizu-chan.”  
  
“You’re a lot of things, flea.” Shizuo looked up at the sound of footsteps nearing the table and found a waiter carrying two bowls of something that looked delicious. “That looks good, wonder what it is?”  
  
The waiter approached their table and placed the bowls in front of them. “I apologise for the wait, gentlemen. Your drinks will be here momentarily.”  
  
“Huh? Wait! We haven’t ordered yet!” Panicking, Shizuo looked at the food (‘ _definitely need to get whatever the hell this is, it smells delicious!_ ’) and back to the waiter.  
  
“I’m sorry, is this not what you ordered?”  
  
“We haven’t ordered anything!”  
  
The waiter frowned and his brow wrinkled a little as he thought to himself, whilst another waiter delivered their drinks to the table. A glass of red something, and a glass of milk.  
  
Shizuo looked at the brunette in front of him, and found him fighting a losing battle with a smile.  
  
“It’s alright, my _date_ seems to have forgotten about us ordering before we arrived.” His hand grasped the glass in front of him and he took a greedy sip.  
  
“Uh, yeah. Sorry.”  
  
The waiter nodded his head and gave Shizuo a quick and obvious once over before striding away. Shizuo’s blood rushed to his cheeks.  
  
“You’re a real bastard, you know that?”  
  
Izaya laughed a little before picking up his knife and fork. “Do you remember how to use these, or would you like some lessons?”  
  
“Tsk, after being with you for so long I can use them almost as good as chopsticks.” Shizuo picked up the utensils and watched as Izaya used them before mimicking the action, “What’re we eating anyway?”  
  
“You wouldn’t be able to pronounce it if I told you, so just pretend it’s a Wooley Mammoth.”

 

“Izaya- _kun…_ ” Shizuo’s fork began to bend in his hand.  
  
“Fine, fine. No need to throw a table, just eat your meal.” Izaya took a small bite and chewed thoughtfully, “We haven’t been out on a date for a while.”  
  
“What are you talking about? We went out last week.”  
  
“Russia Sushi dates aren’t dates.”  
  
“That’s not what Simon says…” Shizuo stabbed several pieces of vegetable with his fork and took a cautious bite. It might have smelled delicious, but vegetables are his least favourite food. “Mmd yoy mev-”  
  
“Don’t talk while you chew, Shizu-chan! Honestly, it’s like dining with a child.” The informant took a small sip of wine, “In any case, don’t believe what Simon tells you. He just wants to sell as much sushi as he can.”  
  
“Hmph. Well _I_ think it is a date.”  
  
“ _You_ think milk is an acceptable dinner drink.”

 

“What’s wrong with milk?! It’s good for my bones!”

 

“That last thing you need is stronger anything.”  
  
“You could probably do with some then.” The blonde reached out and grabbed the wrist of the other man “Just look at you, you’re so skinny. I’m surprised you can do anything with that lack of muscle.”  
  
The informant yanked his arm, pulling a small blade seemingly out of nowhere and stabbing the blonde’s shirt into the table. Shizuo had barely even seen the movement. “Some of us rely on brains instead of brawn, beast.”  
  
“Whatever you say, flea.” Using a finger, Shizuo flicked the blade out of the table and to the floor behind Izaya. “You’re the one who’ll fetch though.”

 

Izaya scowled and excused himself in order to retrieve the small blade. When he returned, he finished his glass and motioned to the wait staff for another. The table was quiet save for the sound of chewing and Izaya’s glass being refilled. After a while, Shizuo snuck a peek at the man across from him. _‘He looks disappointed. I guess he’s right when he says we don’t go out much, and talking right now probably isn’t going to help at all. What do other couples do on dates?’_

 

He took another bite and looked around the restaurant for a guide. In front of him to the right, he noticed a man and woman on what looked to be a date. _‘They look like they know what they’re doing...’_ He watched them for a few moments, before his eyes caught movement just below their table cloth. The woman slid off one of her heels and reached her foot forward carefully, rubbing it against the man’s ankle. Shizuo watched her face and she didn’t seem to be giving any hints away, but the man began smiling like an idiot. The monsters eyes drifted back to her foot, and he watched as it slid higher and higher…  
  
Shizuo looked away quickly and blushed a little. How someone could do _that_ in a restaurant was beyond him, but it did seem to make the man happy. Maybe that’s what everyone did on dates? He looked at Izaya who had almost finished his meal, and was currently looking out the window. He still looked disappointed.

 

Shizuo took a big sip of his milk, swallowing more air than liquid. He was going to have to do this if he wanted to give Izaya his ’Perfect Date’. He tried to slip off his shoe but the laces were done up too tightly, so he used the other foot to anchor it and pulled a little harder.  
  
**_Bang!_**  
  
Izaya jumped as their table shook and the rest of the restaurant looked around for the source of the noise. Shizuo looked at his now incredibly interesting plate and tried to avoid eye contact at all costs.  
  
“Shizu-chan, is everything alright?” Izaya stared at him, heart racing. ‘ _Don’t tell me he’s angry because he found a hair or something in his food._ ’

 

“Hm? Yeah, fine. Sorry. I, uh, slipped.” Shizuo reached his hand out blindly and grabbed for his drink, “I’ll be more careful.”  
  
“Mm…” Izaya watched him for a while longer before shifting his gaze back toward the window. Shizuo waited for his heart to stop pounding and tried to decide if it was alright to continue with his plan.  
  
_‘He’s even shittier looking now than he was before. If I don’t do something, he’s going to hold this over me forever. Stupid fucking Flea, always making me do things I don’t want to. I shoulda killed you years ago- No, shit, we’re on a date. Can’t be thinking about that right now. Shit. Gotta make him happy, not make him dead.’  
  
_ Deciding that thinking was not helping the situation at all, action was the only thing left that made any sense. Now that his foot was free, he raised it carefully and aimed it at the brunette in front of him. He lightly touched his calf before withdrawing completely when Izaya reached for his drink. It didn’t look as though Izaya had even noticed that Shizuo had touched him.  


Drawing his foot up again, he decided to aim a little higher. He rubbed the tips of his toes along his flea’s inner thigh, keeping his eyes on his face.  
  
“Shizu-chan, should we get dessert here or go to a pastry shop? They don’t really have much I’d enjoy here, so I’ll leave it up to you.” Izaya asked in a bored sounding voice, eyes never straying from the view outside the window. ‘ _Idiot, do you even know what you’re doing?_ ’  
  
“Eh, huh?” Shizuo stopped moving his foot and starred at the man in front of him, “Um, parfait would be nice I guess.” ‘ _CAN YOU SERIOUSLY NOT FEEL MY GOD DAMN FOOT ON YOUR LEG?_ ’  
  
“I don’t think they have that here. Finish up your food quickly and we’ll leave.” ‘ _Are you seriously trying to play footsie with me right now, Shizu-chan? If I wanted to play footsie, it’d be my foot between your legs, idiot. What are you expecting me to do, here?_ ’  
  
_‘STUPID FUCKING FLEA, YOU AREN’T EVEN HUMAN, ARE YOU?’_ Shizuo, determined to get some sort of reaction, decided that more pressure would do the trick. He pressed a little harder with his toes, getting a yawn in return for his efforts.  


‘ _Give up, Shizu-chan. I’m in total control here._ ’

  
_‘THAT’S IT! YOU STUPID FUCKING FLEA, I’LL KILL YOU. I’LL KILL YOU AND THEN BRING YOU BACK TO LIFE AND THEN KILL YOU AGAIN!’_ Shizuo moved his foot away slightly, before shoving it back quickly with a little too much force at a very delicate area. Luckily for Izaya, Shizuo only managed to catch the seat of the chair, but the force was enough that it sent him backward into the diners behind him.  
  
Everyone in the restaurant froze, and Shizuo hastily shoved his foot back into his shoe. He stood slowly and looked at the scene in front of him. Izaya, the two diners behind him, and a waiter were on the floor on top of a now broken table. The fruit salad that had just been delivered to the table along with a bottle of wine on ice were now covering said diners. Izaya, it seemed, had managed to avoid the majority but had not escaped entirely.  
  
Attempting nonchalance, the blonde cleared his throat and stepped over to the scene in front of him. With one hand, he pulled his flea to his feet and flung him over a shoulder. He walked quickly to the front of the restaurant and asked for the cheque.

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

Simon, after clearing the van gangs table, had assured them that they would hear the rest of the story once he had finished tidying up the restaurant.  In an effort to hurry things along, Erika had volunteered the group for clean-up duty as long as Simon filled them in whilst they worked. Though it would seem to any outsider watching that the only two doing any actual cleaning were Walker and Kadota, as Dennis and Simon were eating leftovers and Erika was spinning on a stool.  
  
“So do you know everything about Shizu-chan and Iza-Iza, Simon?”  
  
“Only parts. They tell me story because I said I didn’t believe,” Simon licked his fingers free of soy sauce, “I did believe, but I wanted to know how.”  
  
“Have you always known they’d get together?” Erika asked excited, “I always thought they were already together but just pretending to hate each other so no one would know!”  
  
“It did seem that way for a while,” Dennis replied “I don’t think they realised how much they cared about each other until that day.”  
  
“What?!” Erika stopped her spinning “Did they almost die? Did they save each other’s lives? That’s so romantic!”

 

“Hmm, not quite.” Simon finished his last bite of food and handed his plate to Walker, who took it without question. “Let me tell you rest of story.”

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

**_A year and a half earlier, Ikebukuro  
  
  
_ **

“Orihara-san, as I’m sure you are aware, can be quite the thorn in one’s side.  He is ruthless, cruel, though undeniably skilled in his line of work.  It is unfortunate, but during the last year, he has managed to not only betray me and almost force my business to collapse, but also placed the lives of those who work for me in jeopardy.”  
  
“Sounds like him.” Shizuo tried to look as interested as possible, but it was hard to do so. Having known Izaya since high school, this information was hardly a surprise. “So what?”  
  
The man cleared his throat, possibly thrown by Shizuo’s uncaring attitude, before continuing, “Orihara-san, it would appear, has information that should be able to prevent my business from failing and ensure the safety of my staff.”  
  
“Right.” Shizuo scratched his chin, “What sorta information would help your staff?”  
  
The man uncrossed and recrossed his legs before answering, “As a start, he has access to the names and addresses of those who wish to harm us.”  
  
“So you want the flea to give you a bunch of names so you can sneak around and kill ‘em? What if they have kids?”  
  
“Business is business, I’m sure you understand. Though I highly doubt any of my men would risk exposure by eliminating a child.”  
  
“Fuckin’ bastard, you’re almost as bad as he is!” Shizuo waved a hand in Izaya’s direction. He glanced at the screen as he did, noticing that Izaya looked to be laughing. That did not help his anger one bit.

 

“What if I assured you that no children would be harmed?”  
  
“A life is a life, and I just told you I hate violence so why’d ya think I’d like murder? Especially when you’re a coward about it!” Shizuo stood up, moving the chair back as he did so, “Why the fuck am I here? AND WHERE ARE MY FUCKING PANTS?!”  
  
He yelled loudly enough for Izaya to hear from the room next door, instantly stopping his laughter. _‘I thought you were leaving, beast. Don’t tell me you’re actually stupid enough to try and communicate with that man? Your IQ is around 100 points too low for any sort of human interaction.’  
  
_ “Heiwajima-san,” the man didn’t move a muscle, choosing to stay reclined instead of standing “As I said, you’ll receive clothing once the conversation is finished. I can assure you that no one will be murdered today, and that if anyone is killed it will be purely in self-defence. Why don’t you sit back down.”  
  
“Fuckin’ animals.” Shizuo grabbed his chair and sat back down fuming. He imagined he was on an island, basking in the sun, listening to the birds and talking with all his friends whilst Izaya was crying in a soundproof box next to him. He calmed himself a little with the image and lit up another cigarette, “What’s your name, anyway?”  
  
“That’s not important. I won’t disrespect you by giving you a false name, but I cannot reveal my identity either.”  
  
“Tsk, whatever. So what do you want with me?”  
  
“Well, we should have the information from Orihara-san shortly. There are already people searching his office as we speak, so it really doesn’t matter if he talks or not at this point.” The man released his hands and uncrossed his legs. “The reason you’re here is simple. I want you to kill Orihara Izaya.”  
  
Shizuo spat out his cigarette and laughed hard. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing, was this man an idiot?

 

“What’s the matter, Heiwajima-san? Aren’t you always talking about how you’d love to kill him?”  
  
“I’d love to wring the bastards neck,” Shizuo managed between breaths, “But I’m not killing him while he’s locked to a table. I’m not like him.”  
  
“I see, I had thought as much.” The man smiled warmly, as though they were exchanging gifts, “So I had an area prepared for you. If you agree, both you and Orihara-san will be locked in a room together until you have taken care of him. I will arm him, so it will be sporting.”  
  
“You’re nuts.” Shizuo stood up once more, “I’ve listened to you, so where are those clothes?”

  
The other man rose to his feet and walked toward the exit, “They’re in the room with Orihara-san. Do follow me, and you can get dressed. Perhaps being in his presence will be enough for you to change your mind.”  
  
Shizuo stubbed out his cigarette and chased the man out of the room to where he was unlocking Izaya’s door. Shizuo noticed that the door had already been replaced, which meant that there must be at least a few other people in the building.  
  
“Welcome home!” Izaya rolled his head toward the entry as he heard it open, “Is it torture time already? I was beginning to think that you’d forgotten about me!”  
  
“Do attempt to behave yourself, Orihara-san. We have a guest.”  
  
Izaya’s eyes narrowed as he saw Shizuo walk in, “I thought I told you to leave, Shizu-chan. Beasts belong in the wild, not indoors.”  
  
“Tsk, I’m about to leave. If I smell you for any longer I might puke.”  
  
Izaya laughed, “Ah Shizu-chan, you have such a wonderful way with words. You should really consider taking up poetry as a hobby.”  
  
“Tsk.”  
  
“It slipped my mind before, but can I enquire as to why you’re nearly naked? Did you gnaw off those god awful clothes of yours, or have you finally had your first kiss?”  
  
“Fuckin’ flea, don’t talk shit! And you’re dressed the same as me!”  
  
“I’m also in the middle of being tortured, Shizu-chan. Clothes do get in the way of that.”  
  
“Who gives a shit, you probably deserve it.”  
  
“Hmm, and to think that I was beginning to doubt your hatred for Orihara-san. To mock a man in his condition, you really must be a monster.” The unnamed man shook his head and chuckled, “I’m truly surprised that you didn’t take me up on my offer.”  
  
“What offer?” Izaya asked, before being completely ignored. ‘ _If he keeps speaking this way to Shizu-chan, I won’t get the chance to finish this interrogation before he explodes._ ’  
  
“I already _told_ you, I’m not enough of a monster to kill a man when he’s-” lacking the right words, Shizuo thrust a hand out and gestured at Izaya.  
  
“Oh, how wonderful! I must say, I wasn’t expecting that.” Izaya giggled “I think you’ll find that Shizu-chan is far too unpredictable for such things though, you’re better off sending him home.”  
  
The unnamed man stood quietly for a moment and rubbed his cheek, before handing Shizuo some clothing. “I’m not suicidal enough to attempt to stop you from leaving, Heiwajima-san, but I will say that if you do, you will be putting the lives of those closest to you in danger.”  
  
Shizuo had managed to get one leg into his pants before the man had spoken. “What’d you say?”  
  
Izaya had become eerily silent, suddenly deciding to pull against his restraints in an attempt to escape. _‘Well, there goes any chance I had of gathering further information. Shizu-chan is going to explode and ruin everything once again, the monster.’_  
  
“I said, you would be placing the lives of those closest to you in danger,” the man leaned against a stainless-steel table housing many used tools and poked at them as he spoke. “I don’t see how you could possibly place the life of this person above the lives of those closest to you. It’s utterly ridi-”  
  
The man was cut off by the force of Izaya hitting him hard on the chest, having been ripped from the table in the beast's rage and used as a weapon. Both men fell to the floor, Izaya attempting to crawl away as the monster walked over to them.

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

Izaya had stayed on Shizuo’s shoulder even while he paid for their meals (and the table).  Shizuo refused to release him until they’d made it a good distance away from the restaurant, afraid to see the look on Izaya’s face. Unbeknownst to him, Izaya had found the entire situation hilarious. The looks on the faces of such naïve humans, all so upset because of a broken table and ruined meal!

 

He had been listening to the conversation behind him for the duration of their dinner, and knew that a shady deal had been taking place. One of the diners was a corrupt police officer asking for more money to keep quiet, and the other had been a mid-level level gang member of sorts. From what he had gathered, a raid was due to take place on one of the gang’s drug dens and the conversation had become quite heated. All in all, it had been a very predictable conversation and Izaya had been quite disappointed in the lack of creative threats.  
  
That’s when Shizu-chan, the idiot, had decided to try and play footsie with him.  
  
Shizuo slowed his pace and eventually came to a stop. He had noticed the distinct lack of fight in the man slung over his shoulder, and wondered if he’d already been cut. It honestly wouldn’t surprise him in the least if he hadn’t noticed at all. He carefully pulled the man from his resting place and placed him on the ground in front of him.  
  
“Izaya…” He still didn’t want to look him in the face. Even if Izaya was a bastard, he’d gone back on his word and ruined the date.  
  
“Yes, Shizu-chan?” Izaya took a step forward, and tried to catch his monsters eye.  
  
“I’m… sorry.” Nope, definitely not looking at his flea right now.  
  
“Why are you sorry?” The brunette did nothing to hide the amused tone in his voice, but the blonde still didn’t notice it.  
  
“You know… The table and stuff…” Shizuo reached a hand into his pocket and plucked out a smoke and a lighter, thinking that now was a brilliant time for a smoke. “…sorry I ruined our date.”  
  
‘ _Does he know how adorable he looks right now? Is he doing this on purpose? No, he isn’t. Damn it, Shizu-chan!_ ’ “Well, we still have two hours for you to make it up to me, so don’t apologise yet.” The informant smiled and reached out grasp the debt collectors hand. “Let’s see if we can find some parfait.”  
  
Shizuo looked up as he allowed himself to be led. “You aren't angry? I thought you wanted the ‘Perfect Date’?”  
  
Izaya kept his back to the other man and continued walking ahead, “Who said my ‘Perfect Date’ couldn’t include a broken table, a corrupt policeman, and a gang member? If I wanted a boring date, I’d find myself a boring boyfriend, Shizu-chan.”  


Shizuo ignored the part about the dirty cop and the drug dealer (‘ _who knows what goes on inside the flea’s head?_ ’) and readjusted their hands so their fingers interlocked instead. Hopefully, he wouldn't break anything else tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I think I'm getting a bit quicker when it comes to writing, so there'll probably be another chapter pretty soon. Thank you for the comments and Kudos, I feel super special every time I see it!


	6. Fireworks.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shizuo and Izaya decide that they want fireworks sooner rather than later.
> 
> In the past, Shizuo learns a nifty new way of moving Izaya.

**_A year and a half (and two weeks) earlier, Ikebukuro  
  
  
_ **

 

 

There are few things in this world that the Informant of Shinjuku found truly beautiful, and none of those things could be called conventional or even sane.  The man would prefer to take a leisurely stroll through the front lines of a war, gleefully observing the human wreckage and matching the discarded limbs to the broken bodies that lay scattered around him, than he would witness the wondrous sunset before him. It was all so dreadfully common; it had no _spark_.  
  
The man sighed heavily, ignoring the burning orange in front of him in favour of staring at his favourite toys below him, his legs kicking impatiently in a childlike fashion against the edge of the building he had decided to perch himself on. His thoughts drifted to the meeting he had endured earlier that week with an investigator from the Organised Crime Control Bureau.

 

Izaya had been asked by Shiki to negotiate a deal which would allow certain activities to be ignored. The investigator had been older than him and used to subtle threats, and had demanded something in return for this favour. As it would happen, a new group had been attempting to push itself into the Tokyo underground for a few months, its leader believing himself to be a genius of sorts. Though Izaya had found this wannabe mastermind entertaining, his recent behaviour had been irritating to say the least. The informant didn’t hesitate to use the group as a bargaining chip, but was asked to gather more information before the deal could go ahead.  
  
The electronic noise of Izaya’s third phone startled him out of his thoughts and he shifted his gaze to the text he received. “Finally~!” The man quickly lifted and swung his legs behind him and rose to his feet. He skipped away from the edge and toward the fire escape, taking the stairs two at a time.  
  
Humming to himself happily, he stopped midway down the stairs and hid the phone he was holding on a window ledge, before finishing his decent. He leapt from the fifth last step, landing with both arms raised above his head before spinning around in a tight circle.  
  
“Yo!” the gruff voice made itself heard from behind him. Izaya grinned to himself and turned to face whoever wished for his attention.  
  
“Hello there,” he purred, strutting confidently toward the group of men in front of him, “Can I help you with something today?”  
  
“Shut the fuck up, motherfucker!” A slightly higher voice yelled from the direction he had walked from.  
  
He was surrounded. How wonderful! His capture would certainly be far more realistic if both the exits were blocked. Izaya’s smile grew and his heart fluttered. ‘ _I wonder just what they’ll do to me today. Maybe they’re sexually frustrated and will try to take it out on me? No, they’re too afraid of their own sexuality for that. By the looks of that metal bat and that crowbar I should get a roughed up a bit. What boring weapons, they’ve seen too many American gangster movies I suspect._ ’  
  
“What ya’ laughing at, eh?” The first man stepped forward cautiously, obviously knowing the informants reputation well. “Don’t fuck wit’ me, yo!”  
  
Izaya lifted his hands to his side, “I surrender! I surrender! You’re too scary~ for me!”  
  
The men looked at one another in silent discussion, and a blonde nodded at the group behind him. All at once they rushed the informant, weapons held high. “GO TO FUCKING SLEEP!”  
  
Izaya’s smile never faltered as he made his way in unconsciousness. He was disappointed in the lack of creativity today’s youth showed during a kidnapping, but he couldn’t complain. Who knows, maybe they’d come up with a new and interesting torture technique. He hoped against hope that his humans wouldn’t disappoint him.

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

“…where are we?” Shizuo asked the man holding his hand. They’d walked for a while in silence, the sounds of a crowd in the distance steadily becoming louder the further they walked.

  
“We’re almost there.” Izaya replied helpfully.  
  
Shizuo tightened his grip on the other man’s hand slightly, “Where is ‘there’?”  
  
Izaya let out an exaggerated sigh, “The Miyazaki Shrine. There’s a festival.”  
  
“Oh.”  
  
Their destination didn’t come as much of a surprise to Shizuo. After they’d left the restaurant, they’d stopped at their hotel so that Izaya could change out of his soiled clothes. The informant had insisted that they both change into the yukatas he’d purchased earlier in the day (‘ _when did he even have the time? He’s not human, he’s definitely a magical parasite or something..._ ’). On any other day, Shizuo would have refused to wear such a thing but he had been relieved to remove the obnoxious clothing he’d been forced to wear earlier and didn’t put up much of a fight.  
  
Izaya stopped just outside the entrance to the shrine, turning suddenly to look at Shizuo.  
  
“What?”  
  
“Hmm… Nothing.” Izaya stepped closer to the blonde, slightly adjusting his clothing. _‘Maybe I shouldn’t have asked him to wear a yukata, it suits him too much.’  
  
_ “I look stupid like this.” Shizuo shifted on his feet awkwardly, feeling quite out of place. _‘The flea looks so cute like this, does he realise he sticks his tongue out when he’s concentrating? Ahh, but he looks nervous… he’s probably afraid that I’ll lose my temper with all those people around us…’_

“You always look stupid, Shizu-chan.” The brunette stopped his fussing and looked at the frowning man before him. ‘ _What sort of a question is that? Don’t tell me he didn’t notice just how amazing he looks in that yukata, especially when it’s in these colours. He’ll probably have people flirting with him constantly, not knowing he’s a monster._ ’ Izaya paused for a split second, wondering if he’d made the right decision in dressing his monster so well _‘…they probably wouldn’t flirt with him if they knew what he was, though…’_

 

The men looked at each other for a few moments, each attempting to read the others thoughts. Breaking eye contact first, Izaya took his boyfriends hand and they continued toward the shrine, both having come to a silent decision.  
  
  
‘ _I definitely won’t get angry._ ’

 

‘ _I’ll definitely make him angry._ ’

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

**_A year and a half earlier, Ikebukuro (?)  
  
  
_ **

 

 

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, flea?” Shizuo growled, having given up on shaking the unconscious kidnapper in front of him.  
  
“What does it look like I’m doing, Shizu-chan? I’m buttoning a shirt, as _some of us_ prefer to be clothed.” Izaya had crawled to where the monsters clothes lay abandoned on the floor, and used all his upper body strength to shift himself into a sitting position.  
  
Shizuo had forgotten about clothing once the kidnapper had pissed him off and looked at his bare legs, trousers bunched around one ankle. “Fuckin’ flea.” He muttered, stepping back and pulling them up quickly. “Why’re you wearin’ my shirt? Take it off, you’ll stink it up.”  
  
“Shizu-chan, I’m in my underwear and heavily wounded,” the flea glared at the monster, “and thanks to a certain monster, I’ve had to cut my interrogation short. So, as I’ll be forced to leave, I’d prefer to leave clothed. I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea, after all.”  
  
“I just saved your ungrateful ass, not that I wanted to, but I did and now you’re complaining? You fuckin’ shit!”  
  
Izaya ignored the time bomb in front of him, using the now horizontal table to rise to his unsteady feet. “Shizu-chan, do you _really think_ I’d allow myself to be tortured unless I had a good reason?” He brushed himself off with one hand “The only thing you saved me from was getting what I wanted. Bravo, Shizu-chan! You should have just left when I told you I didn’t need nor want the help of a _monster_.”  
  
“LIKE HELL I WANTED TO SAVE YOU, YOU SHITTY FLEA!” Shizuo fumed, stomping over to the brunette, grabbing his throat and raising him easily from the floor, “I should fuckin’ kill you. Injured or not, I shou-”  
  
Shizuo stopped mid-sentence and stretched his arm out further, placing more distance between himself and the flea. Tilting his head slightly, he gave his captive a once over. “You look like you’re wearing a dress.”

“…”

Shizuo felt the man’s throat vibrate in his palm, wordlessly attempting to communicate. Despite the infuriating smile on the brunettes face, the blonde dropped him, watching as he curled into himself at his feet coughing.

“What this, you're letting me live?” the man choked out amidst the harsh coughing, “It’s not entirely surprising though, even King Kong had a soft spot for a girl in a pretty dress. I'm a man in a long shirt, but I guess monsters are easily confused.”

  
“Tsk,” Shizuo kicked the man at his feet in the ribs, hard enough to cause him to lose his breath, but soft enough to not break any ribs. “I told you already, I’m not a monster!”  
  
Shizuo made a move toward the exit “You can keep the shirt since it’s got your stink on it, but don’t tell anyone.” Shizuo left the room and focused on his footsteps. It was getting harder to stop himself from crushing the flea when the sound of his laughter could be heard echoing through the corridor.  
  
Izaya stopped laughing once he was sure Shizuo had far enough away to no longer hear him. He stood himself up once again and looked around the room, giving a small bow to the unconscious man.  
  
“Thank you so much for your kind hospitality, I’ll ensure that the police continue to treat you well.” He made his way over to the door, before halting briefly “Hmm, on second thought, I might let the Awakusu-kai in on your dealings as well. I hear they don’t appreciate drugs though, so you should prepare yourself.”  
  
Stepping out into the corridor, Izaya rested a hand on the wall to the left of him to steady himself as he followed the same path Shizuo had. ‘ _I suppose it’s time to set up a meeting.’_ ’

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

Izaya was annoyed. Once again, his monster was being irritatingly unpredictable. After determining that enraging his beast was the best way to ensure that others wouldn’t try to steal him away, he had dragged the blonde into the festival and began to list his demands.  
  
He asked (commanded) Shizuo to get him Ikayaki, handing him a few notes. On any other day, the blonde would scoff and tell him to get it himself before he broke his legs. Today, he simply smiled, refused the money and asked him to stay put.  
  
Next, Izaya suggested (decreed) that they play certain games that he was sure Shizuo wouldn’t win. He even gloated as painfully as he could, but still Shizuo remained calm.  
  
When that didn't work, he asked (demanded) a gold fish. Shizuo had squinted at him, opening and closing his mouth quickly, before giving a slight nod and asking for a net. Shizuo bent over the small body of water, cigarette dangling from his lips, eyebrows knit together in concentration. He slowly moved the net over his target, following it as it moved gently through the water.  
  
  
**_Splash!_**

 

Water sprayed everywhere as the net hit the water and caught the fish. A stupid looking grin made its home on Shizuo’s face, and he stood quickly, proudly thrusting the net into Izaya’s face.  
  
“I got one!” he beamed.

“It’s black. I want a gold one.” Izaya replied, trying hard to stay upright at the sight of his boyfriend looking so damn _adorable. ‘Shizu-chan, you might have found a more effective method of killing me.’  
  
_ “Oh…” Shizuo’s face fell, and he bent over to release the fish back into the water. “I thought you’d like the black one, since it’s different, y’know…”  
  
People walking past stared at the couple, and a trio of women stood nearby excitedly whispering and gesturing toward Shizuo.  
  
“Which one do you want, then?”  
  
The trio, apparently feeling brave, began to make their way toward the pair. ‘ _This is no good, no good!_ ’  
  
“None. I have no time for fish, Shizu-chan.” Izaya grabbed the blondes shoulder and yanked him to his feet, “Let’s have a look at the stalls.”  
  
“What? But you just said you wanted a fish!” Shizuo allowed himself to be dragged away, oblivious to anyone else in the area. ‘ _FUCKING STUPID FLEA, WHY WOULD YOU MAKE ME GET YOU A FISH IF YOU DON’T WANT A DAMN FISH? Wait, no. No, no, no. Don’t get angry, you can kill him when the date is over. Don’t screw it up again._ ’  
  
“I changed my mind.” ‘ _You really are an idiot if you don’t notice how many stupid women are watching you right now. How is it possible that you haven’t died yet simply because you fail to notice your surroundings?_ ’  
  
The blonde took a deep breath, closed the distance between himself and his flea and ruffled his black hair with his hand. “Look flea, I’m sorry I lost my temper. Just tell me what you wanna do, and we’ll do that.”

“Let’s just look at stalls.” Izaya pulled his head away from the blonde’s hand “Why don’t we go over there, I’ll buy you some takoyak-”  
  
“HEIWAJIMA-SAN!”  
  
The men turned around and searched the crowd for the source of the male voice. Walking toward them in casual clothing were the ~~tourists~~ locals from the plane that Shizuo had befriended.  
  
“Uh, hello!” Shizuo greeted the pair “I didn’t realise we’d run into you here.”  
  
“Heiwajima-san! You shoulda told us you’d be coming, we could have come together!” The woman said happily, “Did you leave the nag at the hotel?”  
  
“The what?”  
  
Izaya loudly cleared his throat, stepping out from behind Shizuo and taking his hand.  
  
“Oh, what a pity...” The woman gave Izaya an icy look, choosing to ignore him for the rest of the conversation. “Are you staying for the fireworks?”  
  
“We can show ya a good spot if you’d like,” the man grinned at the blonde, leaving little room for debate “They’ll set ‘em off just after the Mikoshi comes through.”  
  
“Uh…” Shizuo looked at his fleas face for a moment. ‘ _If I say yes, it’ll piss the little shit off and he’ll get what he deserves for being so annoying which would calm me down a bit. But I want to calm down because we’re on a date…_ ’  
  
“Come on, Heiwajima-san! It’ll be fun!” The man added a little more loudly than necessary.  
  
“I uh, I think I’ll pass tonight…” Shizuo sighed “We’re on a date, you see, and…”  
  
Izaya looked up at his monsters face, surprised at the answer. He squeezed his hand just a little without realising, causing the corner of Shizuo’s lips to rise just a tiny bit.  
  
The woman shook her head and laughed, “A date, huh. I still don’t understand what you see in _him_ , especially after how he treated you on the plane.”

Izaya smiled as he heard the words fall out of the woman’s mouth. Thousands of vicious retorts littered his brain and he chose the one most fitting within a second. He opened his mouth, excited at the prospect of playing with a new toy, when he was suddenly cut off.  
  
“He might be a flea, but you don’t even know him…” Shizuo scratched his head before continuing “I mean, he’s a shitty person and everything, but I don’t like it when people who don’t know how shitty he is say that sorta thing.”  
  
“But you just said-”  
  
“Yeah, but you know…”  
  
“I’m sorry Heiwajima-san and Flea-san,” the man thankfully jumped in before Shizuo would be forced to explain any further “We’re going to scoop some goldfish, so we’ll leave first. Hopefully we’ll bump into each other again!”  
  
“Yeah, sounds good…”  
  
The man gave the woman a pointed look, and she reluctantly walked away. Once they’d left, Izaya looked up at his monster.  
  
“Is that how you defend me? By telling people I’m a ‘shitty person’?” Izaya pouted.  
  
His monster just shrugged, “It’s pretty close to how Shinra introduced us and you didn’t have a problem with it then.”  
  
“Aw Shizu-chan, you still remember the day we first met. How sweet!”  
  
“Kinda hard to forget someone slashing your chest with a knife…”  
  
“Details, details,” Izaya yanked on Shizuo’s hand, skipping toward the Takoyaki stall “Do you still remember what I was wearing? Is it burnt into your mind?”  
  
“We were at school flea, you were wearing your uniform.”  
  
“I knew you’d remember!”  
  
“What’s this about remembering, of course that’s what you’d be wearin’!”  
  
“No need to be embarrassed, Shizu-chan.”  
  
“I’M NOT EMBARASSED.”  


 

 

**

 

 

 

 

‘ _Shitty fuckin’ flea, acting all smug even though I saved your arse. Fucking bastard. I shoulda killed you, then you wouldn’t be laughing, huh? Just grab your throat and squeeze and then you won’t be smiling. Bastard. Fucking flea. I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you, I’ll kill you, I’ll kill you! Doesn’t fuckin’ matter if you’re wearing a dress or not, you’ll be dead!_ ’  
  
Shizuo was not having a nice time. Despite making it back to the stairwell and descending, he had still not found an exit and had been forced to return to where he started.  
  
‘ _What sort of idiots put in stairs that lead to nowhere? Fuckin’ thieves, probably. I bet the idiots who own this place didn’t even check. What if there’s a fire, huh? Are they trying to kill me? I bet the flea did this. I don’t know how, but it’s always the flea. I’ll kill him when I see him, I don’t give a shit if he’s injured, I’ll smash his head into a wal-_ ’  
  
“Still here, Shizu-chan? Please don’t stay on my account.” The flea in question seemed to be carrying a box of some sort ( _‘is that a computer?’_ ) and hobbling down the hallway away from the beast.  
  
“What’d you do to the stairs, bastard?” Shizuo growled. Some part of his brain was aware that Izaya couldn’t have actually ruined the stairs when he had been tied to a table, but that was irrelevant.  
  
“Stairs? Oh, the false staircase.” Izaya giggled “Don’t tell me you spent all your time searching that. This place is accessible through an elevator.”  
  
“Where’s the elevator then?” The monster managed to ask through clenched teeth. ‘ _Elevator first, then beat the flea with that box._ ’  
  
“Find it yourself. I’m working.”  
  
“Tell me where it is, Flea.” Shizuo took a few steps forward, “’Else I’ll smash your head in.”  
  
“Your threats are as colourful as ever, Shizu-chan.” Izaya narrowed his eyes at the debt collector, before turning away and moving slowly forward “But as you know, they don’t work on me. We’ll play another time.”  
  
“Izaya- _kun_ ,” the monster caught up quickly, pulling the man’s collar backward and forcing him to fall “Tell me how to leave _now._ ”  
  
Shizuo stared at the man beneath him but was met with nothing but silence. He tapped his foot against the fleas back to get his attention. “Oi! I’m talking to you, flea!”  
  
Silence.  
  
Shizuo bent his knees so he could take a closer look. Izaya was breathing, but seemed to be asleep. His hands loosely held the box to his chest awkwardly, forcing him into an uncomfortable looking position.  
  
Shizuo stood again and looked around. ‘ _Now what? I could leave him here, but that seems sorta… wrong. But I don’t want to carry him either…_ ’ He took out another smoke and lit it, searching for a solution. ‘ _AH!_ ’  
  
Shizuo moved himself closer to the flea, and gently kicked the man’s back with the side of his foot causing him to slide a few metres down the corridor. ‘ _Ah, not as hard next time…_ ’ He walked toward the man on the floor and repeated the process, cheering himself up as he went. Kicking the flea was by far the best form of anger management he’d found so far.

 

By the time he’d finished his cigarette, they’d left the corridor and entered another, before stumbling across what looked like a board room. The city lights twinkled through the wall of windows, and Shizuo sat himself on the table in the centre of the room. Izaya had started mumbling, so he thought it might be good to rest while he woke up.  
  
“How’d… we get here?” a small voice croaked.  
  
“I kicked you here.” Shizuo made no effort to hide the sneer. “You ready to tell me how to get outta here?”  
  
“…”  
  
“Flea, do you even know how to leave this place?”  
  
“We shouldn’t have left the corridor…”  
  
“Ha! So there is something you don’t know, oh mighty informant!” Shizuo couldn’t help feeling a bit smug at that. In all the years he’d known the informant, he’d never known him to not know everything.  
  
“…how long have we been in here?” Izaya, still holding the box, pushed himself to a sitting position and stifled a grunt.  
  
“Eh? Not long, few minutes I guess.”  
  
“Did you see anyone along the way?”  
  
“Nah, must’ve all left after I knocked that guy out. Fuckin’ cowards…” Shizuo watched as the informant began desperately trying to stand, “Oi, you’re gonna hurt yourself more if you do that.”  
  
“Shizu-chan, we need to leave. Now.”  
  
“What? That’s what I’ve been say-”  
  
“We need to get out of this room now!”  
  
Shizuo slid off the table, “Yeah, well I’m n-”  
  
**_BOOM!  
  
CRASH!_  
  
** The room became white and the windows shattered. Izaya made a strange noise, but Shizuo couldn’t see anything around him. He could barely hear anything over the sound of his ears ringing, and he swung his head to where he’d thought he heard the explosion.

**_BOOM!_ **

 

A second explosion rang out and parts of the ceiling began to fall onto the pair. Shizuo stumbled forward blindly, his feet tripping on Izaya. He tried to steady himself but only managed to turn the opposite direction. He felt himself fall backwards, his stomach dropping as time slowed down.  
  
‘ _I must have fallen out the window,_ ’ he thought calmly to himself. ‘ _I wonder how high we are..._ ’ He instinctively held out his hands as he began his descent, never thinking that he’d actually manage to find something to hold on to.  
  
  


  
**

 

 

 

 

Shizuo and Izaya had successfully visited every stall in the festival and had chosen to wait for the Mikoshi to pass and the fireworks to start.  Shizuo was feeling quite pleased with himself, having managed to keep himself from becoming angry despite Izaya’s best efforts. Izaya had felt annoyed at first, but being a man who could adapt to any situation, had decided to switch tactics and instead secretly scare away anyone who looked likely to get close.  
  
He still couldn’t understand why the blonde had kept calm during their evening, but he was willing to chalk it up to Shizuo’s unpredictability and chose not to dwell on it for too long.  
  
“Flea, are Gods really small?”  
  
“What makes you think they’re small?”  
  
“Well, the boxes they live in are really small. They’re only around this big.” Shizuo used his arms to represent the size of the palanquin.  
  
Izaya snorted at the demonstration, “Shizu-chan, do you believe a God could be so small?”  
  
“I dunno,” Shizuo pondered. “You keep telling everyone you’re a God, and you’re pretty tiny.”  
  
“I doubt that I’d be able to fit into one of those, though.”  
  
“Yeah, your ego probably wouldn’t fit.” Shizuo snickered.  
  
“There’s nothing wrong with having a healthy ego, Shizu-chan, especially when it’s well-deserved.”  
  
“Yeah, yeah. Look, there it is.”   
  
The men looked toward the sounds of the crowd at the contraption being carried on the shoulders of several men.  
  
“Looks heavy.”  
  
Shizuo grunted in return, and wondered if he’d be able to lift it by himself. ‘ _Probably._ ’  
  
“Heiwajima-san~!” Drawing their attention away from the parade, the female ~~tourist~~ local from earlier pushed her way through the crowd toward the pair, noticeably unsteady on her feet. “Heiwajima-san, why don’t you come play~”  
  
Izaya’s eyes narrowed at the woman in front of him, furious.  
  
“Sorry but like I said, I’m on a date with the flea.” Shizuo was oblivious to the woman’s intentions “We’re fine to watch the fireworks from here.”  
  
“No~!” the woman slurred, stepping closer and attempting to wedge herself between the men, “Flea-kun won’t care anyway. Come on, come with me~”  
  
Shizuo was unsure of how to react in this situation. On one hand, he’d made a friend who wanted to show him a neat place to watch the fireworks, but on the other, he didn’t want to leave Izaya alone. “Uh, where’d your husband go?”  
  
The woman chuckled “Him? Who knows and who cares! Come on, let’s come for a walk!” She reached her hands out toward Shizuo and attempted to grab him, but _somehow_ managed to trip over Izaya’s foot and fell on top of the blonde instead. Not expecting the extra weight and unsure of what to do, Shizuo fell backward as well and they landed with a loud ‘thud’ on top of one another, in a very compromising position.  
  
Izaya fought not to laugh at the terrified and confused look on Shizuo’s face. Shizuo looked to Izaya for help, and after finding none decided to try and remove the now sobbing woman from his body. He gently tried to pry her from him, but she refused to move and only clung to him more. Shizuo began to panic as he’d never been in a situation where someone had refused to leave him before.  
  
“OI!” A familiar voice rang out through the crowd, “THE HELL DO YA THINK YOU’RE DOIN’?”  
  
The informant fought a laugh as he saw the woman’s husband approach them. ‘ _Are we starring in a drama?_ ’ Shizuo, however, looked relieved.  
  
“I think she’s hurt, she won’t stop crying.” He nodded at the woman on his chest, thinking that the husband would be able to calm her down.  
  
“’COURSE SHE’S CRYING, LOOK AT WHAT YOU’RE DOIN’”  
  
Shizuo looked at himself and noticed that the woman was currently sitting on one of his hands. He reddened as soon as he noticed and ripped the hand away. The woman made a small noise at the movement, and Izaya bit his lip to stop himself from laughing.  
  
“This isn’t what it looks like!” Shizuo tries to reason, but it seemed to be too late. The man launched into a tirade, insulting everything he could about Shizuo whilst the woman clung to him.  
  
Izaya watched his partners face and decided that he had heard enough. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but don’t you think you should attempt to pry that wife of yours off my boyfriend? I understand that you must feel awfully inadequate right now, but even an attempt at common sense would be helpful.”  
  
The man stopped talking and stared at Izaya. “You…”  
  
“Me?” Izaya chortled “Are you going to finish that sentence, or are you incapable of doing so?”  
  
The man decided to respond with a fist instead of his words. He took a step forward and pulled back his fist, and swung at the informant. Despite knowing that Izaya was more than capable of defending himself, Shizuo saw red.  
  
He ripped the woman off him as he leapt to his feet, and grabbed the man around the waist. He lifted him in the air and threw him into another group of people. The woman ran as the people surrounding him stared in horror, and Izaya grabbed his wrist.  
  
“We should probably leave now, Shizu-chan.”  
  
Shizuo merely nodded in response.  
  
“That’s him!” a female voice called out, and a group of three men ran toward Shizuo. Apparently, the locals had not come to the festival alone.

Shizuo looked around for a speedy exit, but his path was being blocked by the Mikoshi. He felt a slight pressure on the side of his face and realised that he’d been punched.  
  
‘ _Ah._ ’  
  
The monster grabbed the arm and dragged it above his head, swinging the man attached around like a lasso before releasing him and sending him flying. The head-butted the next one and knocked him out, and watched as the third fell to the feet of a bemused looking Izaya.  
  
“It’s been a while since we were attacked, Shizu-chan. Don’t you think it brings back memories?”  
  
“…” Shizuo looked at the people surrounding them. It looked as though someone had called the police who were struggling through the crowd toward them. Seeing no other choice, he decided to clear a path for the two of them to exit and made a beeline for the Mikoshi.  
  
“Sorry,” he muttered to the God before grabbing the contraption with both hands. He pulled it off the shoulders of the men carrying it and quickly tossed it aside. Unfortunately, in his haste he had not taken the time to aim properly and the box landed on top of one of the food stalls, breaking the gas cylinder used for the stove.  
  
**_BOOM!_**

 

The blonde and brunette didn’t even slow their pace. Being in this relationship had caused both men to become desensitised to explosions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I've posted this one in a hurry, so if you find any typos or something needs clarifying, let me know! Sorry if it isn't very coherent!


	7. Everything I Love Tries To Kill Me.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Simon finishes his story but leaves the trio wanting more.
> 
> Shizuo and Izaya review their explosive date.

**_A year and a half earlier, Ikebukuro (?)  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

‘ _Why aren’t I falling?_ ’ Shizuo opened his eyes and tried to focus on the blob in front of him. He still couldn’t see properly, but he could make out something mostly white above him, reaching out and grasping his wrist. ‘ _Did I die? Is an angel taking me somewhere?_ ’  
  
“Shizu-chan, could you attempt to use some of that monstrous strength and pull yourself up?” Izaya snapped. He was laying on the floor with his body half way out the window, using every ounce of strength to stop Shizuo from falling. He wasn’t even sure when or why he’d saved the man’s life (‘ _He probably wouldn’t die even if I let him go._ ’)  
  
“Huh?” Shizuo blinked hard a few times in an attempt to adjust. Slowly, he focused on the white blob in front of him. “Izaya?”  
  
“Congratulations! You remembered my name! Your prize is that I won’t drop you if you hurry up and get up here.” Izaya’s already hurt shoulder was beginning to protest the heavy weight it was carrying, and soon it wouldn’t be up to the informant whether he dropped his rival or not. He clenched his teeth as the man below him moved around.  
  
Shizuo used his other arm to reach the ledge and gripped it tightly with his hand, fingers digging into the metal frame. He began to pull himself up, and with Izaya’s help, dragged himself inside the window. The men stayed on the ground and caught their breath for a moment, Izaya rubbing his shoulder.  
  
“What was that? Why couldn’t I see anything?”  
  
“I’d say it was a hand grenade and stun grenade or two, otherwise known as flash bangs. It’s used to disorient you by activating all the photoreceptor cells in your eyes, which blinds you, and the noise is loud enough that it effects your inner ear and you lose your balance. That’s probably why you stumbled and fell.”  
  
“Oh… why didn’t anything happen to you then?”  
  
“I was already on the ground so I didn’t fall. I was blinded though.”  
  
“Huh?” Shizuo rolled his head so he could face the brunette, “How’d you grab me if you couldn’t see anything then?”  
  
Izaya turned his head away from the blondes and moved slowly to a sitting position, “We should move. Whoever threw those grenades isn’t going to wait long before they come in here.”  
  
“Yeah,” Shizuo sat up and slowly got to his feet. “And thanks, I guess. But don’t think this means I’ll put up with your shit or anything!”  
  
“I’m touched by such heartfelt words.”  
  
“So how do we get out? Probably go the same way we came in.” Shizuo looked around the room, unable to find another exit “I could probably break through the wall…”  
  
“As hard as it might be, you should endeavour to restrain yourself and instead use that sorry excuse of a brain of yours for once.” Izaya hissed at the monster, trying (and failing) to stand on his feet. “I’m sure that’s exactly what they’d expect you to do, so they’re probably waiting for you on the other side with a machine gun.”

 

“Well what should we do then, huh?” Shizuo pinched the bridge of his nose, trying hard not to send the flea out the window. “If you’re so fucking smart, you come up with a solution.”  
  
Izaya gave up on standing and laid himself back on the floor. He thought for a moment, before inching toward the broken window and peering out. “I suppose that could work…”  
  
“What would work?” the monster stomped over to the window and looked down, seeing nothing but a long fall that would be rudely interrupted by concrete. “I dunno about you flea, but I don’t think I want to jump down there.”  
  
“Idiot. I’m not suggesting a suicide pact.” Izaya reached his arm out and stretched it to the level beneath them, missing it by several inches. “I’m suggesting we break the window beneath us and exit that way.”  
  
“Pfft, and how are we going to do that?”  
  
The men stared at each other for a moment before Shizuo understood what Izaya wanted, “What if I fall?”  
  
“I’m sure you’ll survive.” Izaya wriggled his way back inside the room and looked at Shizuo expectantly.  
  
“Even if I do it’ll still hurt!”  
  
“What do you want me to say, Shizu-chan? That I’ll catch you? That I won’t let go? I had no idea you could be so sentimental.”  
  
“Tsk. How about “I won’t stab your fingers once you climb outside”?” Shizuo kneeled on the floor with his back facing the window, a hand gripping the wall beside him.  
  
“My mother would be appalled if I lied.”  
  
“Your mother would drop dead if she knew even half of what you did, louse.”  
  
The flea laughed, “Well, one can only hope. Careful now, don’t look down.”  
  
Izaya rested his head on his palms, amused at the look on the debt collector’s face. ‘ _To think you can follow simple instructions, have you become domesticated recently?_ ’  


Shizuo slid himself down as far as he could “You ready? We’ll have to move fast once I kick this in.”  
  
“Are you worried about me, Shizu-chan?”  
  
“Shut up!” The monster drew his foot back and kicked the window below them as hard as he could. It shattered easily, and using the momentum from the kick let himself drop from one window to the next, barely making it in. He exhaled then peered up above him, “You comin’?”  
  
“No, I don’t think I will actually.”  
  
“What are you on about? Get your arse down here, flea.”  
  
“Mmm, no thank you.”  
  
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN ‘NO THANK YOU’? IT WASN’T A FUCKING OFFER!”  
  
“I don’t know if you noticed, but I’m not a monster like you. I can’t just ignore weeks of torture, and several minutes of _kicking,_ and magically heal.” The informant spat, “So if you have a problem with that, come up here and ‘teach me a lesson’, or whatever it is you usually threaten to do.”  
  
“Are you a fucking idiot? If I couldn’t leave that floor, what makes you think I can leave this one?”  
  
“Animal instinct?”  
  
“Izaya- _kun_ , you get down here.”  
  
“No.”  
  
“ _Izaya…_ ”  
  
“If I can’t stand, how can I get down there?” Izaya laughed, “You truly are an idiot!”  
  
Shizuo punched the wall next to him, sending shockwaves through the building. “Either you come down or I make you fall down, _Izaya_. Either way, I’ll just fucking catch you if I have to.”  
  
The informant rolled his eyes, “Shizu-chan, I’m flattered but I really don’t see us being close enough to excha-” he was cut off by several loud bangs caused by Shizuo’s fist making contact with the wall.  
  
“If you fall I might not be prepared flea, so you better just jump if you want to better your chances.”  
  
Izaya considered his options for a moment, taking into account the voices now coming from outside the room he was currently in. “You win, Shizu-chan. I’ll be down in a moment.” He reached over to the black box he’d been carrying and forced the case off. Peering inside, he located the internal hard drive and pulled it out, careful not to damage it, and stuck it in his mouth. He tossed the black box out the window, no longer having any use for it.  
  
“Hurry up flea!”  
  
“On my way.” The informant mumbled as he swivelled himself around, aimed his legs out the window and closed his eyes. ‘ _Well, if I’m going to die tonight at least it’s in a way I hadn’t expected._ ’ He shoved himself out the window and fell for a second before suddenly stopping. It felt as though a metal clamp had captured his waist.  
  
“Caught you.”  
  
Izaya opened his eyes and found himself face-to-face with his monster. “It still took you eight years, so that’s hardly an achievement you should be proud of.”  
  
“Once is enough.”  
  
“I’m surprised you didn’t take your chance and let me fall. Who knows what hell I’ll put you through later.”  
  
“I’ll kill you later, then.”  
  
Izaya laughed, “It will probably take you another eight years to do that, Shizu-chan. Now can you please put me down? I feel as though I’m being dragged to a nest of prehistoric birds.”  
  
“Tsk,” Shizuo threw his flea over his shoulder, then turned and walked toward the door “You can’t even stand, let alone walk. Just tell me how to get out of here then shut your mouth for once.”  
  
  
  


  
**

 

 

 

 

“I think it’s a left here,” Izaya wheezed, “That should take us back to the hotel.”  
  
“Why the hell’d you run into the forest?”  
  
“Why not? We weren’t followed.”  
  
The men slowed their run to a walk to catch their breath.  
  
“It’s not like they can keep up anyway.” Shizuo snickered “We’re better at that stuff than anyone else.”  
  
“Ha, well, we do have more experience I suppose.”  
  
The men continued their walk, each quietly remembering their colourful history fondly. They’d walked half of the way back to the hotel before a series of loud booms and cracks drew their attention to the sky above them.  
  
“Fireworks…”  
  
“How observant of you.”  
  
“Shut up.” The blonde pulled the brunette close to him, hugging him from behind. “So how was the date?”  
  
“Hmm,” the brunette paused as if in deep thought, “Well~, we had a nice dinner, which you ended by kicking me into another table because I refused to play footsie with you. Then at the festival, you groped a woman, got into a fight, and caused an explosion using a palanquin.”  
  
“I didn’t grope her!” Shizuo protested, squeezing the man in front of him, “But.. Sorry about the other stuff.”  
  
“Don’t apologise, Shizu-chan.” Izaya twisted himself in the blondes grip so he could face him properly, “I already told you once tonight that if I had wanted a boring date, I’d find a boring boyfriend.”  
  
“You say that, but…”  Shizuo frowned and looked away “Weren’t you trying to make me angry?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“But you weren’t angry with me for ruining dinner.”  
  
“No, I wasn’t angry.”  
  
Shizuo looked back at the man in his arms, “Then why were you trying to make me angry?!”  
  
Izaya shifted his gaze to the explosions above their heads “I can’t tell you why.”  
  
“What? What sort of bullshit answer is that?!” Shizuo’s eyes bored deep into Izaya’s face.  
  
The informant looked back to the man in front of him and smiled. “It’s the sort of answer you’d expect from me, I’d imagine.” He ignored the blonde’s huff, “Thank you for taking me on such a fun date, Shizu-chan.”  
  
Whenever Izaya smiled that genuinely, Shizuo couldn’t help but become hypnotised.  He could no longer hear the fireworks, or feel the wind on his skin. He didn’t even notice Izaya rising to the tips of his toes until something soft and warm pressed against his lips.  
  
Izaya untangled his arms from Shizuo’s and moved them around his neck instead, pulling him closer to him and deepening the kiss. Shizuo tightened his grip around Izaya’s waist and pulled him off his feet, chests pressed tightly together.  The stayed like that until Izaya pulled away and inhaled deeply. Shizuo continued to hold him close, kissing him on the cheek before gently setting him back on his feet.  
  
Izaya straightened himself out took Shizuo’s hand. “Let’s keep going.”  
  
Shizuo nodded, lifting Izaya’s hand to his mouth and kissing his knuckles softly. The men continued their walk back to the hotel in a comfortable silence.

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

**_A year and a half earlier, Ikebukuro (?)  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

The monster, flea slung over his shoulder, crept down the darkened corridor.  The pair couldn’t hear anything save the sounds of a single pair of footsteps and their hearts beating wildly in their ears despite the current lack of danger.  
  
“The elevator should be just down the corridor on the right,” Izaya murmured quietly, barely loud enough for Shizuo to hear.  
  
“’kay” Shizuo stepped quickly followed the directions, and found the elevator in question without trouble. He turned his back to it so that Izaya could see it clearly. “Where’s the button?”

  
“There isn’t one, it looks as though you need a keycard to open it.”  
  
“Do you have one?”  
  
“…yes.”  
  
“Well, hand it over!”  
  
“I can’t.”  
  
“What do you mean, you can’t?”  
  
“It’s located in a sensitive area that I am unable to access at this moment.”  
  
Shizuo placed his flea on the ground frowning, and held out a hand expectantly.  
  
“May I have some privacy?”  
  
Shizuo grumbled and turned the other way, “Just hurry up!”  
  
Izaya reached a hand to the waist band of his boxer shorts where he had hidden the card against a conveniently placed wound. He held the thin card with two fingers and, sucking in a breath, pulled it hard, separating it from the bloody mess it’d been stuck it to. He leaned forward and placed it into an open palm, then let himself fall backward. Though it had been handy to have just the right amount of sticky blood so close to the waistband, the removal had done nothing for the informant’s health.  
  
Shizuo turned around and swiped the card, calling the elevator. It wasn’t until he handed it back to his flea that he noticed the blood on his hands.  
  
“Oi, you alright?”  
  
Izaya let out a shaky chuckle that convinced no one, “Of course I am, Shizu-chan. Why wouldn’t I be?”  
  
The debt collector frowned.  
  
“Oh please, I’m not even slightly wounded enough to accept the pity of a beast.”  
  
With a soft ‘ding’, the doors of the elevator slid open and Shizuo pulled the informant onto his shoulder once again before entering.  The doors slid closed quietly and the elevator began its slow descent. The interior of the elevator was mirrored, allowing both men to stare at each other despite facing opposite directions.  
  
“You know,” Shizuo started cautiously, eyes darting away from the other man’s reflection, “You look surprisingly good in a dress. Probably ‘cause you haven’t got any hair on your legs.”  
  
“Excuse me?” Izaya kicked a leg into the blonde’s line of sight “If you look closely, you’ll see that I do in fact have hair.”  
  
“No you don’t.”  
  
“You must be blind as well as stupid.” Izaya said, though the insult lacked its usual bite. “It’s not like you can talk though, there’s not a single hair on your chest.”  


“Who cares about that?”  
  
“Plenty of people. If you insist on being a beast, the least you could do is look the part.”  
  
“Tsk.”  
  
The elevator fell into silence once more, both men reflecting on their strangely ordinary small talk.  It was Shizuo again who broke the silence.  
  
“Why is it so easy to make it outta here?”  
  
“They probably think we’re dead already. It did look like we jumped out the window.”  
  
“Yeah…” Shizuo decided to ask another question, ignoring how obviously awkward it would be, “So why’d you save me, anyway? Wouldn’t it have been easier for you if you’d let me fall?”  
  
“…”  
  
“Oi!” Shizuo shook the man on his shoulder, “Don’t pretend you’re asleep!”  
  
“Fine.” Izaya opened his eyes but kept his gaze low, “I don’t know why. Maybe I knew subconsciously that I’d need you to get out of here.”  
  
“Hm…” Shizuo stared at the reflection, “Are you really giving this gangs information to people who’ll kill ‘em?”  
  
“Would you believe me if I said I wasn’t?”  
  
“I don’t believe anything you say.”  
  
“Then why bother asking?”  
  
“I wanna know if I need to kick your arse when we get out.”  
  
Izaya chuckled “You’ll do that anyway.”  
  
“Maybe.” Shizuo honestly wasn’t sure of what he would be doing once they left the building.  
  
Izaya sighed “It’s business, but I can tell you this much. Yes, I’m helping to ruin the lives of drug dealers, but I’m doing it through legal channels. This is practically community service.”  
  
“Legal channels?”  
  
“Can’t you even understand that?” Shizuo tightened his grip on Izaya, though this didn’t do much to prevent the latter from continuing, “I’m helping the police.”  
  
“The police? Since when did you ever do anything for them?”  
  
“Since one of my associates asked me to. I happen to be very skilled when it comes to negotiations.”  
  
“Pfft.”  
  
The elevators soft ‘ding’ was heard once again, and the doors slid open. Shizuo slowly exited and searched the lobby for shadows. Seeing nothing human shaped, he made for the doors facing the street.  
  
“I still think it’s too easy.”  
  
“Don’t worry Shizu-chan, if they figure out we aren’t dead I’m sure we can expect a house call, if they have time that is.”  
  
The monster grunted in agreement and they made their way onto the streets of Ikebukuro. “Where should I drop you?”  
  
“I think Shinra’s apartment might be the best place given my current condition, don’t you think?”  
  
“What’re we going to say about why we’re together and your injuries? Shinra won’t believe I did all of ‘em.”  
  
“I’ll say I fell down the stairs.”  
  
“What about the cuts and stab wounds and god knows what else?”  
  
“The stairs were sharp.”  
  
Shizuo laughed, just a little. “And you say I’m an idiot.”  
  
  
  


  
**

 

 

 

 

_“We interrupt your programming to bring you breaking news from the island of Kyushu. An explosion has interrupted a festival at the Miyazaki shrine, injuring 8 people. Witnesses have said that a blonde man disturbed the night’s activities when he intervened in a physical altercation between two other men. The man then continued on a rampage, assaulting three other men before throwing… (are you sure that’s right? You’re certain?), ahem, throwing the Mikoshi at a stall, breaking a gas cylinder and triggering the explosion. As of yet, police have not apprehended the suspect, but are appealing to the public for further information. Please call the number on your screen if you are able to assist the pol-”  
  
_

Simon turned the television off and the group sat in silence, absorbing what they’d heard.  
  
“It sounds like Shizu-chan and Iza-Iza are having fun on their romantic getaway! I wonder if they’re wearing yukatas?”  
  
“I don’t think Shizuo is the sort to wear traditional clothing.” Walker replied  
  
“Hmm, maybe not. But if Iza-Iza is there I’m sure he figured out a way to get him into one!”  
  
“I’m sure they’re fine Simon,” Kadota said, ignoring the conversation about yukatas in the background “You know what they’re like.”  
  
“Yes, fight like children.”  
  
“Why don’t we call it a night? Simon doesn’t know much more about what happened that night anyway, and we need to close up the shop properly.” Dennis said, trying to pry Simon away from the van gang.  
   
“Yeah, it’s pretty late…” Kadota looked at his phone to check the time “Come on you two, let’s get out of their hair.”  
  
“Come back tomorrow for sushi.” Simon offered as the group said their goodbyes and watched them leave.  
  
The trio hit the street and began walking aimlessly, no particular destination in mind.  
  
“I wish we knew what happened after Iza-Iza and Shizu-chan left,” Erika pouted, “Do you think they went straight back to Shizu-chan’s place and played doctors and nurses? I bet Iza-Iza would look good cosplaying as a nurse.”  
  
“Didn’t Simon say they went to that underground doctor? I don’t think he’d let them cosplay there.” Walker thought aloud. “Didn’t we meet that guy?”  
  
“Shinra? Yeah, you guys met him. He’s the guy living with the black rider, and he was also in the same year as Izaya, Shizuo, and I at Rajin.”  
  
Erika squealed loudly, “That’s right! Dotachin, you have his number right? Call him and see if he can tell us the rest of what happened!”  
  
“I don’t know i-”  
  
“Maybe we can see the black rider again! She’s so cool!”  
  
Kadota sighed heavily and took out his phone and placed the call, “I’m not promising anything, so just keep down, alright?”  
  
  
  
  


  
**

 

 

 

 

Unsurprisingly, the otaku duo did not keep their voices down when Shinra answered Kadota’s call. Though initially reluctant to talk about the night Shizuo brought Izaya to his doorstep, once he’d heard Walker excitedly yelling in the background about how cool it was to get to see the boyfriend of the black biker he changed his mind quickly. It wasn’t long before the trio arrived at the underground doctor’s apartment, though Walker had been disappointed to discover that Celty was not there.  
  
The doctor had attempted to be hospitable, offering the guests drinks, but soon found out that they were more interested in the story. Fixing himself a cup of tea and walking to where the group was seated, he thought about that night.  
  
“You know, I can’t tell you everything,” he started, “I can’t talk about the medical aspect, anyway. It would be a breach of doctor patient confidentiality and I’m sure Izaya would find enjoyment in punishing me for it.”  
  
“So you can’t tell us if Iza-Iza was a vi-”  
 

Kadota slapped his hand across the girl’s mouth. “That’s fine, Shinra. We’re only interested in how those two got together.”  
  
“Hmm, well, in that case.” He placed his cup on the table in front of him, “Just don’t tell them where you heard it, okay? I don’t want it coming back to hurt my lovely Celty later.”  
  
  
  
  


**

 

 

 

 

 

**_A year and a half earlier, Shinra’s apartment  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

Shinra had been enjoying a rare evening of peace and quiet when he heard a loud knock on the door.  
  
“Celty~, did you forget your keys again~?” He sung out, racing to the door, “Don’t worry my love, I’l- huh?”  
  
“Move it Shinra.” A blonde man (definitely not Celty) barked, shoving his way into the apartment and pushing Shinra aside.  
  
“What’s this?” Shinra asked, closing the door behind him “Is that Izaya? Did you finally manage to kill him?”  
  
Shizuo dumped Izaya on the couch in a way more gentle than Shinra could have imagined. “He, uh, fell down some stairs. Anyway, he’s been outta it for about ten minutes.”  
  
Shinra walked over to the unconscious brunette and unbuttoned his shirt, inspecting the wounds. “Do I want to know why you’re sharing an outfit?”  
  
“Uh…” Shizuo had forgotten about their appearance in the rush to get to Shinra’s. ‘ _Shit, this looks really suspicious._ ’  
  
“Hmm, some of these are quite serious.” Shinra pulled away from the body in front of him and walked toward the spare room he used for exams “Bring him in here and I’ll patch him up.”  
  
Shizuo silently complied, carefully lifting his louse like a princess and before following Shinra.

 

After an hour of Shinra’s hard work, Izaya had successfully been patched up. He awoke to the hushed voice of the underground doctor and the always loud voice of the blonde beast from the other room. As he tore himself away from the comfortable numbness that came with sleep, he realised he was on a small table but was no longer strapped down. He moved his weight to his arms and very slowly managed to push himself up.  
  
‘ _That’s right… Shizu-chan came and brutalised everyone then brought me here…_ ’ _  
  
_ He remembered the internal hard drive that he’d stolen and ran his hands over himself in an attempt to locate it. He was no longer wearing his beats shirt, and appeared to be sitting naked beneath a sheet.  
  
“Shit.”  
  
“Oi, flea. You awake?” the informant hadn’t noticed that the voices in the other room had become quiet, and Shizuo stepped into the darkened room he was currently in. Izaya almost laughed at how fitting it was that a monster should appear in what felt like a waking nightmare.  
  
“Where are my clothes?”  
  
Shizuo scoffed, “You mean _my_ shirt? Shinra said he needed to take it off or something.”  
  
“Wonderful…”  
  
“Tsk, you could thank me, y’know.”  
  
“Thank you? Ha-ha!” Izaya laughed but it sounded like poison to the blonde, “Yes, thank you _so much_ , Shizu-chan! Thank you for interrupting my work and apparently losing the only thing I had to show for it! Thank you for once again ruining everything for me!”  
  
Shizuo ground his teeth as every muscle in his tensed. He forced a fist to loosen, reaching into his pant pocket and pulling out a small silver rectangle. “This what you lost, bastard?”  
  
The flea’s eyes widened slightly as he looked at the internal hard drive in the monsters hand. Not trusting himself to say something to disarm the man, he simply nodded in response.  
  
“I should really crush this…” Shizuo’s fingers tightened on the small machine and Izaya made a small sound, suspiciously similar to a whimper. Shizuo’s eyes snapped to the other man. ‘ _Did he just…_ ’  
  
Izaya recovered himself quickly, “What do you want, Shizu-chan? A thank you? Fine, thank you for bringing me to Shinra. Now can you stop trying to destroy my hard work and put that down?”  
  
Shizuo stared at the man in front of him. He put the machine down on the desk beside the door quietly, never dragging his eyes away from Izaya’s. Then he left without a word.  
  
The informant let out the breath he’d been holding in. He’d been certain that no matter what he said, the internal hard drive would have been crushed.  
  
“Unpredictable as always, Shizu-chan.”  
  
He flexed his toes and pulled the sheet to his chest. Trusting his feet could support his weight, he swung his legs from the bed and dropped to the floor. He stumbled slightly but recovered quickly, and made his way out of the room.

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

Shizuo leaned against the cool metal railing of the balcony and took a long drag of his cigarette. He watched as the waves crashed against the sand, illuminated by the small sliver of moonlight. The flea was in the bathroom, washing away the salty trails left behind by their escape from the festival.  
  
No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t make any sense of the situation. He’d hated the flea from the moment he’d first laid eyes on him, with their first meeting quickly degrading into what was very nearly a fight to the death. He’d wanted to punch the life out of him, and his flea had certainly wanted to bleed him dry.  
  
Shizuo couldn’t remember what it was about Izaya that had made him hate him. It could have been his cocky attitude, his arrogant smile, or the seemingly playful but spiteful words that slipped so easily from the bastard’s mouth.  
  
‘ _Fuckin’ flea._ ’ Shizuo chuckled to himself, tapping the ash from his cigarette and watching it fall into the ashtray. ‘ _For someone who thinks he’s so smart, you were too much of a dumbass to be afraid of me._ ’  
  
He took another drag and savoured the tingling in his chest. Cigarettes and Izaya were the only things that seemed to calm him down, yet both things were likely to eventually kill him. It didn’t make any sense why he loved either of them, but he decided not to think about it too much. He was happier than he’d ever thought he could be and there was no point in over thinking it.  
  
“Close the door when you smoke, Shizu-chan. It’s blowing inside and making the room smell.”  
  
Shizuo butted out his cigarette and walked back into the room, closing the door behind him. “How was the shower?”  
  
“Good~,” Izaya was towelling his hair, wearing one of his monsters white shirts, “You should wash yourself before bed so you don’t dirty the sheets.”  
  
“When are you going to stop wearing my shirts as dresses?” Shizuo reached into his suitcase and pulled out a pair of his sweatpants. He actually loved it when his flea wore his clothes, but he’d never let him know that.  
  
Izaya faked a look of fear, “If I don’t wear this you might try to eat me!”  
  
“Don’t think that’ll stop me!”  
  
The blonde rushed the brunette, picking him up easily and throwing him at the bed. He buried his face into the man’s soft stomach growling, causing the ~~ticklish~~ _sensitive_ informant to wriggle around beneath him.  
  
“Stop that! Shizu-chan! Stop it, stop it, stop it!” he whacked his beasts head, “Go have your shower, you smell like a wet dog!”  
  
Shizuo pulled his head away, trying hard to look offended.  
  
“Fine, just don’t get your flea stink all over the bed.” He picked up his sweatpants and made his way to the bathroom with a stupid grin on his face.  
  
  
  
  


  
**

 

 

 

 

 

**_A year and a half earlier, Shinra’s apartment  
  
  
_ **

 

 

“Shinra, unless you want to treat your own wounds, I suggest you lend me some clothing _now._ ”  
  
“As much as I want to shield Celty from such a lewd display, I’m afraid I can’t do that Izaya-kun.” Shinra replied quickly, backing away from the angry informant “You see, if Shizuo-kun has promised to throw me from the roof if I let you leave.”  
  
“What does that have to do with me being naked?”  
  
“You won’t leave if you’re naked, right?” Shinra tried to laugh but the sound came out strangled “If you have a problem just wait until he comes back.”  
  
Izaya sighed and moved over to the couch. Shinra winced as he watched his friend sit himself down, thankful that the sheet would shield his couch from Izaya’s flesh. The last thing he needed was Celty sitting anywhere tainted and he didn’t think he’d be able to replace it without her knowing.  
  
“And why, pray tell, am I a captive?”  
  
Shinra moved to the seat opposite Izaya as he spoke “Shizuo-kun said he needed to go out but didn’t want you running off anywhere. Something about not wanting to trip over your dead body in the street.”  
  
“Idiot.”  
  
“Well he has a point, Izaya-kun.” Shinra crossed his legs, “You are injured, though all the wounds will heal within a month or so. But you’re still quite weak. I’ll ask Celty to take you home once she finishes her job, so you better be thankful. What I wouldn’t give to go on a romantic ride under the stars w-”  
  
“Please shut up about your unnatural affair. I’m in no mood to hear about your particular fetish.”  
  
“You really are an arsehole, Izaya.”  
  
“So you’ve always said.” The informant shifted painfully in his seat, “Where did Shizu-chan go?”  
  
“He was out of cigarettes, so he stole and stretched one of my shirts, took my wallet and stormed off.”  
  
The informant simply nodded in response, bored with the conversation already.  
  
“Speaking of Shizuo-kun… Did something happen between the two of you?”  
  
Izaya snapped his head toward the underground doctor, eyes narrowing into slits despite his cheery sounding voice “Whatever do you mean, Shinra?”  
  
Shinra ignored the warning signs, unimpressed by the display “Well, I think this is the first time that the two of you have been in the same room and not destroyed anything or tried to kill each other. Not to mention the fact that he brought you here. Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if the either of you left the other for dead.”  
  
“Shizu-chan has always been unpredictable.”  
  
“I think you’re the only one who thinks that, Izaya.” Shinra pulled out his phone and ignored the confused look on his friends face, “I’ll message Celty and see how far away she is. If you’re lucky she might be able to take you home before Shizuo-kun gets back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It doesn't feel like a lot happened in this chapter, so I'm sorry about that. I did manage to sneak in some sickenly sweet fluff though, so I'm pretty happy with that. :D


	8. Instinct.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the past, Shinra lends Izaya some clothes while Shizuo experiences some unusual symptoms.
> 
> Presently, people are wondering if the duo will return to Ikebukuro. At Miyazaki, Shizuo and Izaya continue their fluffy ways.

**Did you hear about the explosion in Miyazaki?**

**  
  
**

**They said a blonde caused it!**

**  
**

**You don’t think it was…**

**  
  
****Who else could do that?** (」｡≧□≦)」  
 **  
  
**

**The police are looking for them...  
  
**

**Does this mean they aren’t coming back?**

**  
  
  
  
  
  
** ******

**_(Just under) a year and a half earlier, Shinjuku  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

Shizuo stared at his reflection in the window as he nervously straightened his bow tie with his free hand. It had taken all the courage he could muster to walk into the flower shop earlier, embarrassed because of why he was entering and who he was buying flowers for. He’d been encouraged by the flower lady to create his own bouquet after she’d gently pried the reason for his visit out of him.  
  
_“It will mean more if you choose them yourself,”_ She’d said to him with a wonky smile, and he’d eventually complied, choosing the flowers he thought were prettiest. He’d walked out with a simple and small arrangement, (consisting of blue roses, purple long-stemmed anemones, purple hydrangeas, yellow carnations, and blue and white English Statice) quite proud of himself for coming up with such a lovely mix.  
  
Unfortunately, he’d been too lost in his thoughts to notice that he’d already arrived at his destination and, upon realising, began to fiddle with his bow tie in an attempt to stall himself. Looking up at the building above his head, he wondered if he’d been seen from the large windows as he’d crossed the road. He wouldn’t put it past Izaya to run at the sight of him, so he hoped that he’d gone unnoticed.  
  
Taking a deep breath, he took the first step into the building and called for the elevator. He’d already decided to do this, and there was no turning back now.  
  
  
  
  


  
**  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**_A year and a half earlier, outside Shinra’s apartment  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

Shizuo was leaning against the entrance of Shinra’s building and lighting his tenth cigarette, the butts of the earlier nine laying forgotten at his feet. He’d lied and told Shinra he needed to buy more cigarettes, but he’d still had almost a full pack left from when he’d been kidnapped. The truth was that he’d needed to leave the apartment that had suddenly felt far too small.  
  
It was a strange thing and he couldn’t quite understand what was happening. After Shinra had finished working on Izaya, he’d briefly explained the injuries to Shizuo. The blonde was no stranger to blood and gore, having been the target of many violent acts since childhood, but when he listened to Shinra he’d felt…  
  
He wasn’t even sure how to describe his feelings. It was a peculiar blend of nausea, fear, and wor- something else he couldn’t name. The sensation had left him light headed and desperate for air, so after demanding that Shinra keep the flea where he could see him (‘ _God only knows what shit the flea’ll do if he runs off now,_ ’), he’d made a break for it himself.

 

‘ _Why am I even here? I should just go home._ ’  
  
He sighed internally at that thought. He wanted to want to go home, but it felt as though he’d become attached to Shinra’s apartment. He decided that it must be because he wants to stop his flea from dragging him into any more trouble, but couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to it.   
  
He was brought out of his thoughts when he felt a tap on his shoulder and looked up to find a PDA in his face.  
  
“Oh hi Celty, welcome home.”

  
[ Shinra told me what happened. Are you okay? ]  
  
Shizuo looked at the helmet of the biker in front of him and nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. Can’t say as much for the flea though.”  
  
[ I’m surprised you brought him here. Did something happen? ]  
  
“Heh,” the blonde took another drag of his cigarette, “What makes you think that something happened?”  
  
The black biker in front of him tapped at the PDA, erasing and rewriting the message a few times before deciding on an acceptable sentence.  


[ You didn’t kill him. ]  
  
“Not yet.” Shizuo laughed, “Hard to kill someone that badly injured when they save your life.”  
  
Fingers tapped wildly on the PDA, [ H-he what? He saved your life? Izaya did? Orihara Izaya? Are you sure? ]  
  
“Surprised me too.”  
  
[ W-what happened? ]  
  
“I’m not really sure of that myself,” the blonde scratched his neck and attempted to explain, “I fell off a building, and he grabbed me and pulled me back in.”  
  
[ He didn’t push you? ]  
  
“Nah.”

 

[ … ]  
  
Shizuo just shrugged. ‘ _Can’t explain something I don’t understand myself._ ’ “Sorry for keeping you out here, you must be wanting to get upstairs.”

 

[ Shinra asked me to take Izaya home, so you aren’t really keeping me from much. ]

 

“Huh?” the blonde dropped his cigarette and stomped on it, “I told him to stay put.”  
  
[ … ]  
  
“I guess I should come back up.”

 

The two famous monsters of Ikebukuro made their way back to the apartment in silence, though both their heads were overflowing with questions. Celty had decided wait until she spoke to Shinra before asking any more of Shizuo, hoping he might be able to explain to her what was going on. The blonde, on the other hand, had chosen to stay quiet for fear of screaming out in frustration.  
  
‘ _Every single fucking time that flea is around, he just has to make everything in my life complicated._ ’  
  
They’d barely made it through the door when an excited voice squealed in their direction.  
  
“CELTY! You’re home!” The bespectacled doctor launched himself toward the biker, only to have a black shadow leak out from her wrist and jab him in the stomach, “Oof!”  


Celty tapped something onto her PDA and shoved it into Shinra’s face.  
  
“I don’t care if it makes me a masochist, I just can’t restrain my love!” he wheezed, and Shizuo was sure Celty would be rolling her eyes if she had any.  
  
“Now that everyone is here, can you kindly lend me some clothing and let me leave?” came a voice from the lounge room, “I’d prefer to leave before this sickeningly sweet display erodes my teeth.”   
  
“Shut up, louse.” Shizuo strode past the doctor, who was currently on his knees being jabbed by shadows, into the lounge. He looked at the informant lounging on the couch, wrapped in a white sheet and tried his hardest not to explode.  
  
“Shizu-chan, why are you even here? Don’t tell me you’re homeless.” Izaya laughed bitterly, “It wouldn’t surprise me though. Street dogs do seem to be common these days.”  
  
“Izaya- _kun…_ ” Shizuo made eye contact, though that did nothing to cure his anger. He fought the impulse to move closer to his flea, fearing that he might beat the parasite to death should he be within reaching distance.  
  
“Shizuo-kun, could you help Izaya-kun to my room and find him some pants?”  
  
“Huh?” Shizuo’s anger evaporated into confusion as he turned to the underground doctor behind him, who appeared to be trying to cover the visor of his lover’s helmet with his hands. Shinra could hear them arguing, and given their history, this request was simply bizarre.   
  
“I don’t want Celty to see another man that nak- oof!”  


“I’m sure I can make the trip without assistance,” Izaya’s words came out a fraction too fast, which he covered by falling back into “I really would rather not be kicked to the room if I can help it.”  
  
Shizuo shook his head as he watched the informant struggle to his feet. Though he was capable of moving alone, his movements were slow and uncoordinated. Shizuo closed the distance between the two and wrapped an arm around the waist of the shorter man before carrying him away. Izaya’s objections were quickly silenced by a low voice.  
  
“Just shut your mouth for once.” He snapped “Or I’ll throw you out the window naked.”  
  
“What’s this, Shizu-chan? Have your insults have begun to evolve?” ‘ _I wonder why that is._ ’  
  
“Tsk.”  
  
They entered Shinra’s room (from the sounds in the lounge, this Shinra was very appreciative) and Shizuo threw the brunette on the bed. Izaya rolled on his side in pain, exposing the abdominal muscles that had been covered by the sheet. Shizuo stared at him for a moment, taking in the bruises and bandages, thoughts he should ignore wordlessly bouncing around in his head.  
  
“Shizu-chan, do you have to be some rough?”  
  
“Never complained before.” Shizuo dragged his eyes away from the informant and frowned, choosing to dig through Shinra’s drawers in search of pants. He couldn’t understand the feelings of _worry_ and _sympathy_ he experienced when he looked at the brunette. Until this little adventure, the only feelings he had when looking at his flea had been disgust and rage.  
  
He threw a pair of soft looking pants at the annoying man on the bed and began looking for a tee shirt. He ignored the muffled sounds of pain and continued to keep his back to the bed, making sure to take his sweet time.  
  
“nng…”  
  
‘ _Ignore, ignore, ignore, ignore._ ’  
  
“…haaa… ahh…”  
  
‘ _Ignore, ignore, ignore, ignore, ignore, ignore._ ’  
  
“Tssss…”  
  
‘ _Ignoreignoreignoreignoreignoreignoreignoreignoreignoreignoreignore…_ ’

 

“…erg...”  
  
“FLEA, WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?” Shizuo turned around, shirt in hand, and stared at the man in the bed.

 

“I think I ripped my stitches, Shizu-chan.” Blood from what looked to be the man’s stomach was soaking into the sheet, the sweatpants pulled up to the knees.  
  
“Tsk, why didn’t you ask for help, idiot?” Shizuo tossed the shirt onto the bed beside the man and attempted to look at the open wound.  
  
“I wanted to put on a pair of pants, not be beaten to death with them.” Izaya pushed his beasts hands away and covered the wound with his own.  
  
“Fuckin’… look, just stand up and I’ll get Shinra. Try not to bleed on everything or he’ll charge us for it.”   
  
“…” Izaya stayed still, ignoring the blonde in front of him.  
  
“What, can’t remember how to move your legs?”  
  
“I don’t wish to put my lower half on display.”  
  
“Flea, I can’t see shit and even if I could I wouldn’t be interested.” The blonde crossed his arms, “You can’t do it yourself, and you can’t go out in front of Celty like that. So man up.”  
  
Izaya muttered angrily to himself before coming to a decision. Moving quickly, he thrust his upper body forward and grabbed the pants, dragging them up to his waist. His efforts, however, did not go unpunished and he let out a series of pained noises before he could stop himself.  
  
“What is wrong with you?!” Shizuo moved closer still and reached out to Izaya, only to have his arms slapped.  
  
“I don’t need or want your help,” the informant hissed as he curled himself into a ball.  
  
“Quit your bitching and stop acting like such a baby,” the blonde grabbed the brunette a little harder than he’d wanted and dragged him off the bed “You think I want to help you? Fuckin’ louse.”  
  
“…”  
  
“Oi, Shinra! The idiot ripped his stitches!” Shizuo yelled out as he exited the room and made his way back to the makeshift exam room.  
  
Shinra apologised to Celty before following them, mumbling incoherently to himself.  
  
“Go wait outside, Shizuo-kun.” Shizuo nodded and made his way out of the room, leaving the doctor and patient alone.  
  
“…”  
  
“Your silence is louder than your voice, Shinra.” Izaya said through clenched teeth, as Shinra dabbed his wound with alcohol. “If you have something to say just say it.”  
  
“What do you think I want to say?”  
  
“Oh, I don’t know. Probably something utterly ridiculous.”

 

“…”  
  
“Just spit it out.”  
  
Shinra reached for his tools and gathered his thoughts, “You and Shizuo-kun are acting strangely.”  
  
“…”  
  
“You haven’t noticed it?”  
  
“I can’t say I’m disappointed that I haven’t been launched at a wall yet.”  
  
“Hm, it’s not just that though, is it?” Shinra moved his fingers skilfully, plucking out the broken stitches, “You two have a different air about you. Shizuo-kun almost seems worried.”  
  
“Ha! Oh Shinra, you never fail to amaze me.”  
  
“You yourself said that you found him unpredictable.”

 

“Unpredictable, not fictional.” The informant stifled a groan at the pain, “You really do spend too much time with monsters Shinra. You’ve become unable to think rationally.”  
  
“I wonder which of us isn’t being rational.”  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

“You’re making the bed wet, dry your hair.”  
  
“My hair is dry enough, stop acting all prissy.”  
  
“It’s dripping everywhere!”  
  
“No it’s not.”  
  
“Shizu-chan, if you don’t get out and dry your hair now I’ll shave it while you sleep.”  
  
“You’re so damn annoying!”  
  
Shizuo pushed himself out from the covers and walked to the bathroom to retrieve his towel. Every time he bathed around his flea, they’d have this same argument. It was both irritating and comforting. He rubbed the towel on his head a few times before dropping it onto the tiled floor.  
  
“Happy?” Shizuo asked as he crawled back into bed.  
  
“Tsk.” Izaya wrapped his arms around Shizuo’s waist as he laid back down and snuggled closer. “We need to be up early to pack. We’re taking the 8am bus to Takachiho.”  
  
“Why’re we going there?” Shizuo knew there was no point in trying to have any say in their plans, as it’d only end in an argument and Izaya getting his whatever he wants anyway.  
  
“I’ll tell you when we get there. I’m too tired now.”  
  
“It’s not that late!”  
  
“But I’m tired~, Shizu-chan!” Izaya snuggled himself closer to his monster, “Why don’t you tell me a story?”  
  
“I’m no good with that stuff, flea.”  
  
“Aw, come on, Shizu-chan.”   
  
Shizuo, against his better judgement, tilted his head slightly so he could catch a glimpse of the other man’s face. Izaya had his eyes closed, a content smile on the side of his face that wasn’t pressed into Shizuo’s chest. ‘ _Shit._ ’  
  
“Fine, but don’t interrupt!”  
  
“Can the story have a prince?”  
  
“What are you, a kid?” Shizuo snorted  
  
“Shizu-chan!”  
  
“You’re really annoying.”  
  
“I don’t see what that has to do with whether the story includes a prince.”  
  
Shizuo sighed in defeat and started to make up a story for Izaya. It wasn’t particularly good, which Izaya would make sure to point out in the morning, but the sound of Shizuo’s voice always made him feel safe, warm and loved.  
  
Izaya smiled happily to himself and gave into the darkness.  
  
  
  
  
  
  


  
**  
  


 

 

 

**_A year and a half earlier, Shinra’s apartment  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

[ Are you okay, Shizuo? ]  
  
“Fine.” Shizuo continued his angry pacing as Celty typed.  
  
[ Do you want to go out and talk? ]  
  
“Nothing to talk about.”  
  
[ … ]  
  
Shizuo stopped his pacing and ran a hand through his hair. “Sorry, I don’t even know what’s going on so how can I talk about it?”  
  
Celty reached toward the PDA before stopping herself. She looked at the blonde for a moment, then started typing.  
  
[ How do you feel? ]  
  
Shizuo sighed when he read the message and flopped onto the couch, hands covering his face. “I don’t know. I feel… weird.”

 

Celty tapped his shoulder, and he peeked an eye through his fingers [ Weird? ]  
  
“It’s… my stomach feels weird. Must have caught something.”  
  
[ But you never get sick? ]  
  
“I know,” Shizuo sighed again, jumping to his feet and making his way to the balcony “But I feel sorta nauseous, like my gut is all weird.”  
  
[ What happened with you and Izaya? ]  
  
The monster put a cigarette between his lips and raised the lighter, but the flame missed the stick entirely. He stayed in that position for a few seconds before finishing the action.  
  
“Dunno. Some idiot kidnapped me and told me to kill the louse, but he pissed me off.” He exhaled, wondering how much he should say. “The flea was pretty beaten up, so I had to help him leave. Then we came here.”  
  
[ Why did you help him? ]  
  
“Tsh, I’m not a monster Celty. I couldn’t just leave ‘im there.”  
  
[ That’s true, you are a good guy ^-^ ]

 

[ But why are you still here? No one would blame you for wanting to go home. ]   


Shizuo chuckled, “Wish I knew. Maybe I feel bad for him or something. It’s not like he has anyone else around.”

 

[ You don’t have to push yourself. ]  
  
“I’m not, which is why I’m pissed off.” The monster balled his hand into a fist and squeezed tightly, watching his as his knuckles turned white before he relaxed his hand completely. “I’m not angry even though he’s here.”  
  
Celty wasn’t sure what to say to that, so she settled on giving her friend a pat on the shoulder, which seemed to convey her feelings.  They stood in silence while the blonde finished his cigarette, still confused as to why he hadn’t left.   
  
“Celty, my love!” an enthusiastic voice called from within the apartment.  
  
Celty walked past Shizuo and into the apartment. He tried his best not to eavesdrop, but it was virtually impossible given how loudly the doctor was speaking. From what he could make out, Izaya was demanding to go home. Shizuo stubbed out his cigarette quickly and walked inside.  
  
“Shizuo-kun,” Shinra looked at him as he walked in from the balcony, “Celty is going to take Izaya-kun back to his apartment. She’d like to know if you’d like a ride home before she does.”  
  
“Are you sure he should go home like that? The idiot’ll probably rip his stitches out again.”  
  
“Huh? W-what?” Shinra scrunched his face in confusion, unsure he’d heard Shizuo correctly, “Well uh, he should be fine. He’s had worse, probably.”  
  
Shizuo nodded, unsure of what to say. Or _why_ he was saying what he was. It definitely wasn’t like him to be worrying about his flea’s health (unless he was worrying about the fact he was still alive). He closed his eyes and rubbed his chin.  
  
“Are you feeling alright, Shizuo-kun?” Shinra’s voice became a little harder and more professional, and he walked over to the blonde and placed a hand on his forehead to check his temperature “You don’t feel any hotter than you usually do…”  
  
“Huh? Yeah, I’m fine, I think. Just my gut acting up. I feel sorta nauseous and jittery.”

 

“Aha, aha.” Shinra took a step back and studied the blondes face “When did you start feeling like that?”  
  
“Uhh… Probably when the louse and I jumped outta that window.”  
  
“You jumped from a window?”  
  
“Yeah, well, we were up pretty high and had to get down to the next floor. So I jumped out the window and into the one underneath, then the louse jumped out and I had the catch him.”  
  
“You willingly saved his life?” Shinra asked, eyes wide in shock.  
  
“Well yeah, he’d saved mine before so now we’re even.”  
  
“Izaya-kun saved your life?”  
  
Shizuo nodded, but kept his eyes closed. The questions were starting to eat away at his brain and he didn’t want to keep talking about this.  
  
“Shizuo-kun, do you know if you were drugged at all? Maybe if I took some blood…”  
  
“I’ll snap you in half and beat you to death with your legs if you try, Shinra.”  
  
“Fine, fine!” The doctor scooted away quickly and hid behind his beloved. “In any case, it’s quite late so the two of you should go home.”  
  
“Fine. I’ll walk home then.” Shizuo made for the door but stopped when shadows crept in front of his face to show him the screen of a PDA.  
  
[ You aren’t feeling well so you should sit for a little while first, until you feel better. ]  
  
Shizuo made to argue, but thought better of it. He didn’t want to worry Celty, after all. Shinra decided to make himself scarce and walked back to his spare room to check on his patient.  


“So will I be allowed to leave tonight, or will I be handcuffed to the bed frame?”  
  
“Celty will take you home shortly.” Shinra stood by the door, deciding against closing it. “I heard you had quite the evening, I was surprised.”  
  
“You know me, there’s never a dull moment.” Izaya stretched his arms above his head, before gently shifting back into position. “Which part of that was surprising to you?”  
  
“Hmm, if I’d have to choose, I’d say you saving the life of the man you claim to despise might be the most surprising.”  
  
Izaya’s face froze. “I remember no such thing.”  
  
“Don’t lie, Izaya-kun.” Shinra chuckled, “Just tell me why you did it.”  
  
“Reflex and instinct, then. I couldn’t get out alone, so I needed him alive.”  
  
“How’d he fall out the window in the first place?”  
  
“He stumbled out after a couple of stun grenades went off near us.” Izaya had recovered after the initial shock of questioning, and inspected the nails on his right hand.

 

“But you managed to grab him even though you would have been blinded for at least five or six seconds?”  
  
“Survival instinct really is a powerful thing, Shinra.”

 

“I don’t think it was survival instinct that had anything to do with it.”  


“What are you implying?”  
  
“I think you panicked.”  
  
Izaya laughed loudly and bitterly, “And why would I panic? Because I wouldn’t be able to watch the beast die with my own eyes?”  
  
“Because you didn’t want him to die at all.” Shinra’s voice became cold, losing the usual amusement it held. “If you were honest with yourself for once, you might actually try to figure out how you, despite being blinded, managed to grab onto Shizuo-kun as he fell. That’s no ordinary feat, and you could very well have fallen out yourself.”  
  
“…” Izaya’s smile didn’t falter once as he turned his face away from the doctor and toward the ceiling.  
  
“Tell me what happened or I’ll make sure Celty never works for you again.”  
  
The informant sighed, annoyed at his childhood friend. “Fine. That idiot started stumbling about when the stun grenade went off, and when the hand grenade exploded parts of the ceiling fell. He must have become confused because he started walking toward me and he tripped and fell. At some point, I must have reached out and grabbed him.”  
  
“Stop lying to me, Izaya.”  
  
Izaya gave Shinra a look that would cause a lesser man to soil himself. “I don’t believe I was lying to you.”  
  
“Do you think I’m an idiot?” Shinra chuckled “I suppose you must. Though even the biggest idiot could figure out that you couldn’t have grabbed him as he was falling. You must have been holding onto him before he fell.”  
  
"So what if I was? I was severely injured and shocked by the noise. Supposing I did grab Shizu-chan, and I'm not saying that I did, it would be only natural."  
  
The sound of cup shattering, followed by a string of curses, interrupted their conversation. For the first time since Shinra entered the room, the informant noticed that the door was open.  
  
“Shinra, you’re a real bastard.”  
  
  
  


 

  
**  


 

 

 

 

“So then they left?” Walker asked as the doctor finished his story.  
  
“Yes, and they didn’t say another word to each other while they were here.” Shinra took a sip of his now cold tea and pulled a face, “It was so obvious that the two had changed, but I don’t think either of them fully understood at that point.”  
  
“When did they?” Erika squeaked.  
  
“Hmm, it’s hard to say. For Shizuo, it was probably the next day. Izaya took a little longer though.”

 

“What changed Iza-Iza’s mind?”

 

“Well, it was probably when Shizuo-kun went to visit him a few days later. I don’t know all the details, but I think they ended up having a pretty in depth discussion about it all. Honestly, I’m surprised it didn’t end in a funeral!”  
  
“How do you know what happened, Shinra?” Kadota leaned forward as he asked, but was already sure he knew the answer.  
  
“Celty told me! Oh! But don’t tell anyone else, it’s meant to be a secret.”  
  
The two otakus swore they wouldn’t say anything and Kadota just shook his head, knowing full well that the messenger would definitely be the one who was beaten with a street sign if Shizuo ever found out what they’d been talking about.   
  
“Well, we’ve got our answer, so let’s leave before Shinra says anything else he’s not supposed to.” Kadota stood up and stretched a little as Erika whined.  
  
“But I want to know more~!”  
  
“We’ll come back another time, it’s too late now and Shinra has already told us what he knows.”  


“Hmmph!”  
  
The trio said their goodbyes to the doctor and made their way out of the apartment and onto the street. As they went their separate ways, Kadota had made them promise to not ask the Dollars for help finding out about the peculiar relationship between its two most famous members.

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

**_(Just under) a year and a half earlier, Shinjuku  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

Shizuo stood in front of the door and took a two deep breaths (‘ _In, out, in, out._ ’) before knocking. His knuckles barely touched the door for fear of using too much strength and accidentally breaking it down. He felt his heart jump into his throat as he waited for the door to open.

  
  
…

  
Why wasn’t the door opening?   
  
Annoyed, he knocked again a little harder.

 

... 

  
  
‘ _Fucking flea!_ ’   
  
Impatient, he knocked again, sending splinters through the wooden door.

 

‘ _Stupid fucking louse, not answering the door! I’ll kill you, you rude piece of shit!_ ’  


Tired of waiting and just _knowing_ that his flea was probably on the other side, laughing at his expense, Shizuo kicked the door down. He walked into the apartment and, as he’d thought, found Izaya.  
  
“Why didn’t you answer the door, louse?”  
  
“Because I already knew who was on the other side and didn’t feel like speaking with a protozoan today.”  
  
“Bastard,” Shizuo growled. As he neared the informant, he realised that though he was wearing his trademark smirk, something felt different. “What’s wrong?”  
  
“Well, you are in my apartment, uninvited.” Izaya rose from his seat and turned his back to his monster, choosing to stare out the window instead “Who are the flowers for? Are you visiting a grave?”  
  
“Well, uh…” Shizuo looked at the slightly-crumpled bouquet in his hand and suddenly felt very self-conscious.  
  
“Have you finally found a woman stupid enough to ignore her sense of self-preservation to go on a date with you?”  
  
“Huh? No, that’s not… Look flea, I’m her-”  
  
“I know why you’re here, and I’ll give you exactly three seconds to leave.”  
  
“Pfft, or what?”  
  
Izaya turned away from the window to face the blonde. He carefully studied his face before answering him.  
  
“I’ll destroy you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've only given this chapter a quick once over, so it might not be as coherent as it should be. It's 6am though, so I'll give it another look once I wake up. If there's anything that doesn't seem to flow properly, leave a comment and I'll fix it asap! :D


	9. Unpredictable.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the past, Shizuo asks for the advice of strangers before going to see Izaya.
> 
> In the present, Shizuo and Izaya make their way to Takachiho.

**_A year and a half earlier, Shizuo’s apartment  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

Shizuo paid no attention to his surroundings, too lost in his own thoughts as he made his way home on autopilot. It wasn’t until he heard the loud ‘ding’ of the microwave that he realised he'd been standing in his kitchen. Pulled from his thoughts, he removed the instant hot chocolate from the machine and took a sip, burning his tongue.  
  
“So even something this sweet can sting, huh?”  
  
The sound of his voice felt too loud and out of place despite its low volume. As if they were some kind of spell, the words triggered something inside of him. He could finally understand the indecipherable thoughts that had plagued him earlier, no longer sounding like white noise.

_‘The flea looks kind of cute in my shirt.’_

_‘Maybe I shouldn’t have kicked him, he looks pretty beaten up._

_‘The louse has really long eyelashes…’_

_‘Has the flea always stuck his tongue out like that when he’s concentrating?’_

_‘His legs look really soft, like he doesn’t have any hair.’_

_‘If Izaya is helping the police, then maybe he isn’t as rotten as I thought.’_

_‘Is it okay to lose that much blood? Will he wake up when we get to Shinra’s?’_

_‘Has he always been this small and delicate?’_

_‘Why aren’t you afraid of me if you’re this breakable?’_

_‘Are those bastards going to hurt him once he goes home?’_

_‘I can’t go home until I know Izaya is okay.’_

_‘Why’d Izaya grab me?’_

_‘ ~~Why did he let go?’~~_

_‘Does Izaya really hate me?’_

_‘…do I really hate Izaya?’_

_‘Izaya…’_

_‘Izaya. Izaya. Izaya. IzayaIzayaIzayaIzayaIzayaIzayaIzayaIzayaIzayaIzayaIzay-’  
  
  
_

Shocked back to reality by the cuts of broken ceramic and now released hot liquid burning his fingers, the blonde let out an uncharacteristic yelp and threw the remains of the crushed mug into the sink. Maybe it would have been better if he’d never understood his own thoughts, it wasn’t as if he could do anything about it.

 

This was the flea. He hated that parasite.

 

‘ _No I don’t, I just hate the shitty things he does._ ’  
  
The beast growled at himself, certain that Izaya had somehow turned his own brain against him. Unable to process his own feelings, he made his way out of the kitchen deciding a hot shower might snap him out of whatever craziness he was lost in.

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

“Izaya- _kun,_ if you don’t get out of bed I’ll dropkick you off the balcony.”  
  
“I’m in the shower, Shizu-chan. Leave me alone.” Izaya pushed his face deeper into the pillow and pulled the blankets more tightly around himself.  
  
“Tsk, how big an idiot do you think I am, flea?” Shizuo, who had been gently rubbing his fleas shoulder in an attempt to rouse him gently, straightened himself and moved to the end of the bed, “You’re the one who said we needed to be up early, the least you could do is get outta bed.”  
  
“I’m surprised someone as stupid as you could tell the difference between a shower and a bed.” Izaya mumbled, voice slurring with the remnants of sleep “Maybe if you hadn’t bored me half to death with that dreadful story of yours-”

The brunette was cut short when the blonde took hold of his ankles and yanked him off the bed. “Come on, _Iza-chan_ ,it’s time for you to get up.”  
  
“I don’t appreciate being dragged from my bed, Shizu-chan.” The informant deadpanned, already used to this sort of treatment. It wasn’t often that his boyfriend would wake before him, but on the occasions that he did this behaviour was not uncommon.  
  
Shizuo dragged Izaya across the floor on his stomach and into the bathroom. He released his ankles and turned the taps of the shower to adjust the temperature, while his flea continued to cuddle the sheet he’d clung when he’d been so rudely removed from his bed.  
  
“You have the first shower.”  
  
“I’ve already gotten us ready, so quit your bitching and get in.”  
   
“Don’t wanna.”  
  
“I’ll throw you in with your clothes on.”  
  
“Hmph.” The informant pouted and slowly sat up. Opening his eyes for the first time that morning, he squinted at the debt collector above him. The blonde had what appeared to be a stern look on his face, but the smile behind his eyes betrayed him. “Fine.”

 

“Good. I’ll head out while you shower and get us something to drink.” He stepped over the man on the floor on his way out of the bathroom, “It’s already seven-thirty, so don’t take as long as you usually do.”

 

“Shizu-chan just doesn’t understand how much work it takes to stay beautiful.” Izaya joked as he unwrapped himself.

 

“You don’t need that much work flea, you look better when you aren’t trying.” The door clicked shut behind the blonde, and the brunette rose to his feet.  
  
“Idiot.”  
  
  
  
  
  


**

 

 

 

 

 

**_(Just under) a year and a half earlier, Izaya’s apartment  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

Silence took over the apartment, Izaya’s words echoing soundlessly. The face of the blonde in front of him contorted into several different expressions, before settling on one of amusement. His laughter came out deep and loud and heavy, assaulting the informant’s senses.  
  
“That the best you could come up with?” his beast joked between chuckles.  
  
“I’m simply stating the facts.” Izaya moved the few steps from the window to sit in his chair. The cool leather on his arms reminding him of just who was in control. A god such as himself could never be expected to bend to the will of a monster, no matter how confusing that monster could be.  
  
“What’re you gonna do, set me up again?” his monster joked as he stalked the brunette in front of him “I wouldn’t think you could kill me, after saving my life and all.”  
  
Izaya frowned and reached for the blade he kept hidden in his desk. “If you’re referring to what I did to ensure my own survival, try not to think too deeply on the subject. I merely adapted to the situation.”  
  
Shizuo scoffed, “That’s not what I heard. You told Shinra you were already holding onto me.”  
  
The blade whizzed itself toward his monster, but was lazily batted out of the air by the blonde.

 

It took everything ounce of self-control Izaya possessed to keep his eyes on the man in front of him. ‘ _Don’t look away, don’t give him an opening._ ’  
  
“Just how fucked up are you, flea? Can’t even have a conversation without trying to spill blood.” Shizuo continued his approach until he was mere feet away from the brunette, “I really hate that about you, you’re always tryin’ to piss me off and make me violent.”  
  
“For someone who claims to loathe violence it really doesn’t take much.”  
  
Shizuo’s gripped tightened and he remembered the flowers he was holding. “These’re for you.” He said quietly as he tossed them onto the desk before the informant.  
  
“How fitting they are.”  
  
“What’s that supposed to mean?”  
  
Izaya carefully picked up a fallen blue petal and rolled it between his fingers. “Tell me, did you pick these out yourself?”  
  
The blonde scratched his neck and looked away, mumbling incoherently.  
  
“I’ll take that as a yes then.” The informant released the petal and wiped his fingers on his trousers, “The statice and hydrangeas are represent sympathy, the anemones fading hope and being forsaken, the carnations represent rejection and disappointment.” He looked his monster in the eye before finishing, making his words as cruel as possible. “The blue roses symbolise **_unrequited_** love.”  
  
The debt collector shrugged at the words in an effort to appear nonchalant, but the hurt was evident. “Who gives a shit if they look good?”

  
“Your stupidity never fails to astound me. How could you possibly enjoy your sorry excuse of a life when you are this uncultured?”  
  
“Fuckin’…” Shizuo stopped himself and pinched the space between his eyes. ‘ _He’s just trying to piss you off. Don’t get angry, you can beat the shit out of him later._ ’  
  
Izaya laughed bitterly, moving his hands the back of his head “Oh, please feel free to finish your sentence. Or have I spoken too quickly and confused you? I can attempt to speak more slowly if you’d prefer.”  
  
Shizuo swallowed his anger as best as he could. “Why’re you always pissing me off?”  
  
“Because it’s fun.” The informant smiled.  
  
“Tsk. What’s fun about that? You got a death wish or somethin’?”  
  
“Of course not Shizu-chan. But there’s no fun without a little risk.”  
  
“Aren’t you afraid of me?”  
  
The parasite laughed, and it sounded genuine. “How could _I_ be afraid of _you_? Monsters have been conquered for centuries, so I hardly think you’d be any different.”  
  
Shizuo looked down at his hands, confused “But I could kill you with a finger.”  
  
“And how would you do that, Shizu-chan?” Izaya rose to his feet, adrenaline beginning to pump through his veins. “You’ve chased me for just over eight years and have thus far never been able to catch me. It doesn’t matter how strong you are if you can’t keep up.”  
  
“…but I did catch you.”  
  
“You caught me once, and that was only because I allowed you to. I hardly think that counts.”  
  
Shizuo met the informants’ icy gaze, speaking more to himself than the man in front of him “Once was enough. I don’t think I’ll let you go.”  
  
Izaya’s eyes widened for a split second, before masking himself with a sneer and stretching his arms out to his sides, “You truly are an idiot. As you can see, I’m quite free now. You should have killed me when you had the chance.”  
  
His monster sniggered a little and began to move around the desk, slowly making his way to his flea. “Who’s the idiot here?” he growled, no menace behind the words, “I’ve already caught you, flea.”  
  
Izaya backed away from his monster, unsure of what to do, his control slipping away from him quickly. ‘ _What are you talking about, idiot? You can’t honestly believe you’ve got me trapped in some sick web of emotion?_ ’  
  
“You know, I haven’t been able to sleep since I left Shinra’s,” his beast continued his slow pursuit, inching closer with each step, “I bet you haven’t either. You look like shit.”  
  
“How sweet of you to mention it.”  
  
“Thinking too much? Can’t get me out of your head?”  
  
Izaya scoffed, “I’d sooner end my life than spend more than a second thinking about _you._ ”  
  
“Liar.”  
  
“Can’t you just trust me this once?” Izaya’s voice had begun to crack and he stumbled past the couch.  
  
“Never have before. Why start now?”  
  
“Shizu-ch-”  
  
The monster leapt at the flea, missing him by centimetres. Izaya let out a ~~squeak~~ small yell as he twisted himself away, landing on one foot by the bookcase. His hand already searching for another weapon.  
  
“I thought you said you weren’t afraid of me, Izaya- _kun._ ”  
  
“Fear and caution are two separate entities, beast.” ‘ _What the hell are you doing? This isn’t what is supposed to happen._ ’ The colour drained from the informants face when his monster bared its teeth in a wide grin.  
  
“You’re still lying, flea. I can smell the fear on you.”  
  
“Once again, you are mistaken.” His hand moved quickly along the shelves in search of his blade, no longer caring for subtlety.  
  
“Nah, you’re definitely afraid.” Shizuo took a long step toward the man in front of him, “But you aren’t scared of me.”  
  
“What on earth would I be afraid of, then? Please enlighten me.” His hand moved faster, finding the blade. He tried to take hold of the handle but his fingers refused to work.  
  
“You’re afraid of yourself and whatever the fuck this is.” Shizuo took yet another step closer “Always alone, never having any friends. You raise yourself up as a God so you won’t feel as alone, but even then your subjects hate you. Everyone hates you, and that’s the only thing you’ve ever felt.”  
  
Anger overtook Izaya. How dare a _beast_ attempt to analyse him. How could he possibly understand the complexities of a God such as himself?  
  
“You say you love everyone because you love to watch them. But you can never truly understand. Someone who has gone without loving or being loved their entire life could never understand, and that’s why this scares you.” Shizuo gestured between himself and the brunette.  
  
“I don’t love you, Shizu-chan. I don’t even like you! I HATE YOU!”  
  
Shizuo laughed as he closed the gap and their chests were almost touching. Izaya felt the warm breath of the beast that stared down at him. The only way he could exit the situation was if he did everything in his power to enrage the man in front of him.  
  
“I hate everything about you!” He cracked, “I hate your impossible strength, and your disgusting rage.”  
  
“I hate how you fuck around with people’s heads.”  
  
“I hate the way you pretend to be human, tricking people into caring about you.”  
  
“I hate how you hurt the people I care about.”  
  
“I hate your stupid blonde hair! What sort of adult still bleaches his hair?”  
  
For unknown reasons, that one stung Shizuo more than he would have liked. He leaned his face further down, lining it up with the brunettes. “I fucking hate that you frame me whenever you’re bored! STOP RUINING MY LIFE!”  
  
“IF YOU STOPPED PLAYING HUMAN I WOULDN’T HAVE TO!”  
  
“STOP FUCKING AROUND, IZAYA! JUST ADMIT IT ALREADY!”  
  
“ADMIT WHAT, THAT YOU’RE A MONSTER? THAT YOU’RE AN ABOMINATION? THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUT DOWN THE DAY YOU TRIED TO LIFT A FUCKING FRIDGE!”  
  
Shizuo slammed a palm above Izaya’s head, sending deep cracks through the bookshelf.  
  
“CUT THE BULLSHIT AND ADMIT THAT YOU WANT THIS!”  
  
In under a second, any control over the situation that Izaya still possessed slipped away from him.

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

The bus ride to Takachiho was long.  Shizuo had passed the time by staring out the window, whilst Izaya found himself wrapped up in the mundane conversations of the other tourists. He listened intently, soaking in the useless information like a sponge. By the time they’d made it to their destination, Shizuo was ready to snap and Izaya was bouncing around like a little kid on a sugar overdose.  
  
“Aren’t humans wonderful, Shizu-chan?” He practically squealed, skipping ahead of the moody blonde “They get so worried about the silliest things. It’s just so adorable!”  
  
“Flea,” Shizuo grumbled as he lit the cigarette dangling between his lips, “Weren’t they discussing their relative dying?”  
  
“What’s your point?”  
  
Shizuo shook his head in defeat, “So where are we going?”  
  
“I thought it’d be nice to go explore the Ama-no-Iwato shrine.”  
  
Shizuo grimaced at the thought, still feeling guilty about the previous night. “Maybe we should stay away from shrines for a little while…”  
  
“Nonsense!” his flea spun around theatrically, “But if you’re just going to complain, we can go to the Takachiho Gorge first. It’s not that far away, and we’ll pass the shrine on our way there and back.”  
  
Shizuo frowned, but started to walk after Izaya anyway. “What’s there to do at this gorge?”  
  
“Well~, we can hire a rowboat or walk along the trails. I think there’s a restaurant there as well, so we can stop for lunch.”  
  
“Rowboats and walking? Sure doesn’t sound like something you’d like. Not enough people around for you to mess with.”  
  
“Shizu-chan, I’ll have you know that though observing humans is my favourite hobby, it’s not my only interest.”  
  
“Like what?”  
  
“This place is steeped in legend. For instance, the gorge is home to a cave where the sun goddess, Amaterasu, was said to have hidden after her brother teased her. It’s also said that the gods Izanagi and Izanami birthed the islands after Heaven and Earth were separated. It’s all very interesting, actually. You see, it’s said that those two actually gave birth to many gods, though most were deformed, or rotted and covered with mag-”  
  
“Flea, get to the point.”  
  
“Well, don’t you think it’s only fitting that a god such as myself should pay my respects? It’s unfortunate that a monster such as yourself will be tagging along, but it can’t be helped.”

 

“Better a monster than a god covered in maggots.” Shizuo scoffed. He’d long become used to the jabs, but it annoyed him no less. “Row boat sounds nice though.”  
  
“It is the best way to see the waterfall.”  
  
“There’s a waterfall? Like the ones on TV?”  
  
Izaya smiled to himself at his monsters childlike response “Yes, Shizu-chan.”  
  
At that, Shizuo picked up the pace and quickly overtook the brunette in front of him. “Hurry up, louse. I wanna see the waterfall.”  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
**

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_(Just under) a year and a half earlier, Izaya’s apartment  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

   


Izaya closed his eyes reflexively, waiting for the blow that would probably end his life. Instead, he felt the warm, wind chapped lips of his monster pushing hard against his own.

 

Panicking, his fingers finally listened to him and he grabbed the knife he’d been reaching. He moved the blade quickly, stabbing his monster in the shoulder. The blade barely penetrated more than a centimetre before the hard muscle stopped it.  
  
His monster growled into his mouth, the vibrations sending shivers down his spine. Shizuo tore himself away from the brunette’s mouth but kept himself close.  
  
“What the fuck, flea?!”  
  
“I could ask you the same!” Izaya’s eyes darted around, searching for an escape.  
  
“You fucking stabbed me!”  
  
“…” Unable to think of anything to say, or find an escape, Izaya stayed quiet. He could still feel the pressure of the kiss on his lips, making it feel as though it had never stopped.  
  
“Fuckin’ louse.” Shizuo leaned in again, their lips meeting more gently. Instead of keeping his lips still as he had done before, be began to move them, tongue sliding on the bottom lip of the informant.  
  
Izaya tried to push him away but lacked the inhuman strength necessary to do so. He pulled his knife out of his monsters shoulder and began slashing his chest wildly, thin lines of red making themselves seen through the now ruined vest and shirt.  
  
The monster growled again and grabbed the informant’s wrist, stopping him from doing any further damage. He bit his flea’s bottom lip softly, slipping his tongue into the man’s mouth tentatively once his mouth opened.  
  
Izaya screamed at himself internally. His monster, as unpredictable as he always was, had truly gone above and beyond this time. Unable to think or process this information, he focused on not enjoying himself. He thought about the bitter taste of cigarettes on Shizuo’s tongue, the sloppiness that came with an inexperienced kiss, and the pain in his wrist.  
  
He pressed himself against the creature, telling himself it was an attempt to push him away and not because of a need to feel closer. He wrapped his free arm around the beasts neck, assuring himself that it was so he could slit his throat, despite the lack of a weapon in that hand. He moaned in protest, not out of enjoyment.  
  
Shizuo pulled away again, his eyes searching the face of the man in front of him for clues. ‘ _I kissed…_ ’ His eyes grew wide and he took a step back, ripping himself away from the brunette.  
  
Izaya made a small noise, barely audible, when the distance between them grew. He caught his breath, dropping the knife from his recently freed hand. “I hate you, Shizu-chan. I hate everything about you, and I’ll never stop hating you.” He stumbled past the debt collector and made his way back to the desk, sitting himself down carefully.  
  
“I, uh…” Shizuo turned toward the desk, words leaking from his lips. The kiss hadn’t been what he’d imagined, there had been no fireworks and he hadn’t lost himself, but unusual feeling in the pit of his stomach had grown more pronounced. He could no longer decide if it felt good or bad.  
  
“Thank you… for the flowers…” Izaya turned his chair toward the window.  
  
No longer able to communicate, the blonde simply grunted before walking as quickly as he could to the door. He turned around once, struggling to find his voice, before giving up and leaving.  
  
Izaya listened as Shizuo’s footsteps faded away. He reached for his phone, sending a text to organise the repair of his door.

 

‘ _Fuck._ ’

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

**_A year and a half earlier, Shizuo’s apartment  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

Despite showering, Shizuo was still unable to relax let alone sleep. Confusing thoughts swirled through his head, leaving him barely enough time to think about their implications.

 

‘ _It’s almost as if I like…_ ’  
  
Refusing to finish the sentence, he groaned loudly and slapped himself. He needed help figuring everything out, but it was late and he didn’t want to bother any of his friends. His phone sang out, it’s light cutting through the darkness by his head, signalling a new message.  
  
‘ _It’s just some shit from the Dollars._ ’  
  
He put the phone back down and stared at the ceiling. He’d never actually gone to the Dollars site before, usually too annoyed by the constant alerts to be bothered.

 

‘ _If I got a message though, it means that someone is awake._ ’  
  
Figuring that it was anonymous and he had nothing to lose, he carefully picked up his phone and opened up the site. Making his way to the ‘Personal’ section, he started a new thread.  
  
**Hi.**

**Uh, I’m sorry to intrude but I need some help. See, I hate this guy right, but every time I see him now I think he’s cute and my stomach hurts and I want to kill him less than I used to.  I’m not sure what it means but I can’t stop thinking about it.**

He reread what he’d written a few times before shrugging and posting it. He wasn’t one for talking a lot in person, so why should that be any different online? He put his phone on his chest and wondered if anyone would reply.  
  
Two minutes later, his phone beeped once, twice, five times signalling that people were responding to his post.  
  
**_[ “Sounds like love!” ]  
  
( “What do you mean when you say your stomach hurts, are you constipated?” )  
  
[ “They’re obviously talking about butterflies! Who feels constipated when they see someone?” ]  
  
( “Maybe they felt constipated before they saw them but didn’t notice?” )  
  
[ “Idiot! They’re totally in love!” ]  
  
_** Shizuo frowned and slowly typed his reply.  
  
**What butterflies? Why do you think I’m in love?  
  
** The replies came quickly, others joining in to hand out advice.  
  
**_[ You think they’re cute and your tummy goes all funny when you see them! What else could that be! (And DON’T say constipation!) ]  
  
{ Do they make your heart flutter? }  
  
_ Uh, my heart beats a bit more I guess…  
  
_( IT’S LOVE! )  
  
[ Definitely love! ]_  
  
Love? Are you sure? I did say I hate them…  
  
_{ Are you sure you about that?? Maybe you’re just confused. Have you ever been in love before? }  
  
( Yeah! If you haven’t been, maybe you just can’t tell! ^-^ )  
  
_** Shizuo racked his brain and tried to think of a time when he’d had a crush. There was the lady at the milkbar, but he was pretty sure that was only because she was nice to him. After the incident there, he’d made sure to never feel anything like that again in case he hurt someone.  
  
**I… don’t think I have… But I always thought I liked women, I don’t think I’m gay or anything.  
  
_[ OOOH! IT’S A FORBIDDEN AFFAIR! ]  
  
{ So you’re both guys? Maybe that’s why you think it’s hate! }_**

****

**_( Yeah! Maybe you’re just confused because you think it’s wrong or something. )  
  
_****Nah, I have no problem with people being gay or anything, I just always thought I liked women…  
  
_[ Maybe you just like him because it’s him. ]  
  
{ Exactly! Nothing wrong with that! }  
  
( So when are you going to confess? )  
  
_ Confess?  
  
_[ You have to confess! Maybe he likes you as well! ]  
  
( Be sure to bring flowers! )  
  
{ Do you bring guys flowers? }  
  
[ Of course! It’d be soooo romantic! ]  
  
_** Shizuo snapped his phone shut and ignored the messages. Confess? Izaya would laugh right in his face and never let him live it down. There was no way he felt the same way, whatever this feeling was.  
  
Unless…  
  
Shizuo thought back to the conversation he’d heard between Shinra and Izaya before he left the apartment. The louse all but admitted that he’d been holding onto him before he fell out of that window.  
  
Screwing his face up in thought, he tried to remember what happened. He heard the bangs, then heard a noise coming from Izaya. It was soft, and he’d barely heard it, but it sounded scared.

 

‘ _He’s not afraid of me, but maybe he was afraid of the explosions. So he… clung to me?_ ’  
  
It didn’t make any sense. Why would you try to hold the person you hated if you were afraid? You’d only try to hold someone you cared about. Not to mention the fact that his flea then saved his life, hardly the behaviour of an enemy.  
  
“Bastard,” he mumbled to the empty room. “And you say I’m unpredictable.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little shorter than usual, but never fear! I'm already working on the next one, so it should be up in a few hours (if all goes to plan!).
> 
> Edit: I just realised that the next chapter will be the tenth, so I'm going to try and make it a little longer and a wee bit more exciting. It'll take longer to update, but I'll try to make sure it's worth the wait. :D


	10. I Hate You.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the past, Shizuo talks to Celty.
> 
> In the present, a rumour starts making the rounds online and Shizuo and Izaya get wet.

**_(Just under) a year and a half earlier, Shinjuku  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

Shizuo left the informant’s apartment in a daze.  He certainly hadn’t intended to kiss the man he once professed to hate, and he wasn’t particularly sure what to do now he had. He raised his fingers to his mouth and gently touched the delicate skin.

‘ _I can still feel him…_ ’  
  
It had been the blonde’s first kiss. He’d never spent much time thinking about things like kissing before, as he’d always been sure he’d never have an opportunity to experience it. Sure, he’d had offers from people who fetishized his strength in the past, but he’d always been too old fashioned for such things.  
  
The kiss had been wet and sloppy, his tongue didn’t seem to know what to do and he’d used too much teeth. Despite it not making him weak at the knees, it had felt nice. Warm and safe, as though it were the opposite of violence.  
  
He stopped walking and leaned against the building closest to him, lighting up a cigarette. After a moment of internal debating, he pulled out his phone and sent a message to Celty, asking if she was free for a chat. The affirmative reply came almost instantly and he gave her his location and was told she’d arrive shortly.  
  
Not enjoying being left alone with his thoughts while he waited, he made his way back to the thread he’d started on the Dollars website. He didn’t bother checking the new replies, deciding to just post an update and see if anyone else had advice for him.  
  
**I kissed him.  
  
** It didn’t take long before the replies came in, and he skimmed them while he waited for his friend.  
  
**_[ Does that mean you confessed? ]_**

****

**_{ Did he kiss you back? }  
  
_ **

**_( Did you use tongue? )  
  
_ **

**_{ You can’t ask people if they used tongue, pervert! }  
  
[ Does he have feelings for you as well? ]_ **

****

**_( What happened? )  
  
_** Shizuo thought for a moment. His flea _had_ cut him up a bit when he kissed him, but he had also kissed him back. _‘Shit, he even moaned a bit.’_ He fought a shiver at that particular memory and pushed it aside to examine another time.  
  
**He kissed me back and thanked me for the flowers, but he didn’t seem to like the kiss much at first.**  
  
**_[ Wait! Didn’t you ask him how he felt? ]  
  
{ You didn’t just kiss him straight away did you? }  
  
( Oh no! You might have freaked him out! )  
  
  
  
_** Shizuo snapped his phone shut and shoved it back into his pocket with a bit too much force. He’d thought the louse liked the kiss, but maybe he’d just been afraid to fight back even more? Shizuo _had_ disarmed him, so maybe he felt it was the only way he’d walk away without a crushed skull, but that had never stopped his flea in the past.

 

Maybe he should have told Izaya how he felt first, but he wasn’t even sure what that was. All Shizuo knew is that he felt _something_ that made him more likely to kiss the parasite than murder him (though the urge to kill him had not entirely left). ‘ _If that louse is so fucking smart then he’ll figure it out himself._ ’  
  
The debt collector groaned to himself, wishing he knew what the hell happened. He’d talk it out with Celty once she arrived and get the answers he was searching for. He put out his cigarette and lit another, barely tasting it as the smoke ghosted its way down his throat and into his lungs.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


  
**

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Still no answer?”  
  
Simon frowned at Dennis as he placed the phone on the counter, shaking his head.  
  
“Don’t worry about them so much. Even if the police arrest Shizuo, Izaya would bail him out soon enough.”  
  
Those within earshot of the Russians fell silent, not believing what they’d heard. The history between the famous pair in question was incredibly well known throughout Ikebukuro, and it was hard for anyone to believe that Izaya would do anything to protect the blonde in the bar tenders uniform.  
  
Simon and Dennis, noticing the eavesdroppers, dropped the subject and continued with their work. Unfortunately, the damage had already been done as a young boy reached for his phone and composed a message, having only heard part of the conversation.  


**

****

****

****

****

****

****

****

**_A year and a half earlier, outside Izaya’s apartment  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

“Thank you for the ride, courier.” Izaya said as he dismounted the black motorcycle, “Text me how much I owe you for this evening.”  
  
He limped in the direction of his apartment before feeling a tap on his shoulder. He turned his head to find a PDA held by dark shadows.  
  
[ Tonight is a freebie, as a thank you for saving Shizuo. I know that mustn’t have been easy on you. ]  
  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”  
  
Celty got off her motorcycle as the shadows brought her PDA back to her. She walked over to Izaya as she typed.  
  
[ Shizuo told me you saved him… and we heard you and Shinra talking… ]  
  
The informant frowned, and Celty began typing again.  
  
[ It’s nothing to be ashamed of! It’s a good thing! Maybe now you and Shizuo can start over and stop your fighting? :) ]  
  
Izaya laughed, though it sounded forced, “Shizu-chan will never see me as anything but his enemy, and I will never see him as anything but a monster. Just because something acts human does not mean it deserves to be treated as such, and I can assure you that whatever happened this evening was a once-off.”  
  
Celty ignored the obvious insult, already used to Izaya’s opinions. She only needed the love and acceptance of a certain underground doctor to feel content.  
  
[ I don’t think Shizuo hates you, he just hates it when you make him angry or bully him. ]  
  
“Perhaps you don’t know Shizu-chan as well as you think you do, _courier._ ” The brunette widened his stance slightly to make standing a little easier, though his tone remained bored and uninterested “He has made his feelings perfectly clear.”  
  
[ You always say he’s unpredictable. Maybe you’re the one who doesn’t know him. ]  
  
A smirk replaced the frown on Izaya’s face, “I have no time to analyse the thoughts or behavioural patterns of monsters.”  
  
Celty began typing, but was cut off by Izaya. “Thank you for the ride. I’ll contact you next time I’m in need of your services.”  
  
The headless rider watched as the informant gave a small wave over his shoulder and made his way into his building. Shaking her head, she sent a quick text to Shinra to let him know she was on her way home, mounted her bike and sped silently into the night.  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shizuo didn’t know what to do with his hands.  
  
It wasn’t often that he was asked _not_ to do physical labour, but those rare occasions always seemed to pop up whenever he was around Izaya. He felt guilty watching as the brunette took heavy breaths, drawing the oars through the water and propelling them closer to their destination.  
  
“Izaya, are you sure you don’t want me to take over?” He asked, reaching his hands toward the wooden handles resting on the sides of their little boat, “I don’t think those tiny muscles are any good for this sorta thing.”  
  
“Shizu-chan,” Izaya wheezed, pulling the oars toward him and away from the blonde, “I want to experience a rowboat, not a motorboat.”  
  
“Who said I’d do it that fast? I can be gentle!”  
  
“Gentle? Ha! You’ll snap the oars and we’ll be stranded.”  
  
Shizuo grumbled to himself, making it clear that the only thing he would be snapping would be the other man’s neck. Izaya was always like this, insisting on doing things himself even when it would be easier to have his monster take over. It was actually something that Shizuo appreciated, as his flea was the only one who not only accepted his strength but saw past it. It didn’t matter if Shizuo was stronger, Izaya would always insist of doing his share (or more) of the work.  
  
The informant continued his rowing, quickly finding a rhythm and enjoying the view of the steep grey and red tinged cliffs and bright green leaves that surrounded them. It didn’t take long before they could hear the loud splashing of the waterfall from up ahead.  
  
“Hurry up flea!”  
  
“Patience is a virtue, Shizu-chan.”  
  
“Who gives a shit, just hurry it up!”  
  
Izaya slowed his pace, much to the dismay of the blonde.  
  
“Oi!”  
  
“Enjoy the view, we’ll still make it to the waterfall.”  
  
Shizuo huffed. He wasn’t sure if Izaya had just been looking for an excuse to rest, or if he just wanted to piss him off. “If you don’t pick up the pace, I’ll take over.”  
  
“You’re acting like a five year old.”  
  
“Says the one who stopped!”  
  
“The one who controls the oars controls the boat. If you don’t like it you can swim.”  
  
“Shut up and row, flea.”  
  
“Or what? You’ll throw a fish at me in lieu of a vending machine?”  
  
Shizuo glared at the laughing man in front of him. ‘ _Shitty fucking flea._ ’ He rocked in his seat, causing the boat to move from side to side and his flea’s eyes to widen just a little.  
  
“Stop it, Shizu-chan. That isn’t funny.”  
  
“Then pick up the pace.”  
  
“No.”  
  
Shizuo rocked the boat a little harder than before, causing Izaya to lurch forward in an attempt to balance himself.  
  
“If you do that again, I’m throwing the oars overboard and we’ll never move forward.”  
  
The men glared at each other, each unwilling to break contact first. Shizuo rose from his seat carefully, balancing himself by placing a foot unsteadily on either side of the boat. Izaya’s eyes narrowed, daring the blonde to make a move.  
  
Shizuo shifted his weight to his left foot before switching back to the right, causing the boat to almost capsize. Izaya, taking advantage of the blonde’s brief loss of balance, kicked him in the knee as hard as he could. Gravity worked against Shizuo, and he stumbled backwards off the boat and into the water.  
  
Izaya lost sight of his boyfriend as he dipped under the surface, not having worn his life jacket. Wasting no time, the informant grabbed at the oars and starting rowing as hard and fast as he could. A little water wouldn’t hurt his monster, but an angry monster might hurt him.  
  
Arms aching, Izaya pushed himself even harder as he’d noticed that the blonde still hadn’t resurfaced. The theme song of an American movie about sharks started echoing in his head loudly as he struggled to make the vessel move faster.  
  
‘ _Push forward, down, backward, up, forward, down, backward, up..._ ’  
  
He felt the boat rock as something struck it hard from below and almost fell out the side. Izaya ignored the interruption and pushed his limbs harder than he thought he could in an effort to speed up the boat.  
  
The boat rocked again and he peered over the side, finding a hand gripping the side. Shizuo had attached himself to the bottom of the vessel. Ignoring the questions he had about his monsters lung capacity, the informant pulled the wooden oar out of the water and, after taking a moment to aim, stabbed at the hand.  
  
**_Crack!_**  
  
The hand remained in place whilst the oar splintered into pieces. Before Izaya had time to recover, the boat began to rock hard from side to side. The brunette tried to keep his balance but overcorrected, falling into the cool water with a loud splash. He kicked his legs and swum in what he hoped was the right direction, greedily sucking in air through mouth once he broke through the surface.  
  
“Would you quit playing around? I want to see the waterfall.”  
  
The soaked brunette looked toward the raft, finding a dripping blonde inside, the unbroken oar in one hand and a goofy smile on his face.  
  
Izaya’s glare was met with laughter, and Shizuo extended a hand to his flea. “Come on.”  
  
Smirking to himself, Izaya grabbed the offered hand and pulled hard, forcibly dragging the blonde back into the water.  


 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

****

**_(Just under) a year and a half earlier, Shinjuku  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

Shizuo heard the whiney of Celty’s motorcycle and looked up from the concrete slab he’d been staring at, watching as she parked on the street in front of him.  
  
“Hi Celty, thanks for coming out to talk. Hope it wasn’t too far out of your way.”  
  
[ No problem, I was in the area :) But why are you in Shinjuku? ]  
  
Celty waited for her friend to speak, her shadows dancing beneath her helmet with concern. Shizuo looked awful, the dark circles beneath his eyes were exaggerated by the darkness and he looked like he hadn’t slept in a week, not to mention his sliced shirt lightly coloured in blood.  
  
Shizuo sighed and reached for what would be his fifth cigarette that hour, but found the small cardboard container to be empty. He crushed it easily in his hand and threw it into a nearby trash can.

  
“I came to see Izaya.”  
  
[ Did he do something? ]  
  
The blonde let out a small laugh, “Yeah, I guess he did.”  
  
Celty was confused. It wasn’t like her friend to speak this calmly about the man he’d despised since high school, in fact, it was strange that there had been no broken bones or unusual projectiles thrown when they’d been together a few nights prior. Celty chose her words carefully.

 

[ You seem different. ]  
  
“Do I? I didn’t think anyone would be able to tell.”  
  
[ ? ]  
  
Shizuo took a deep breath, suddenly feeling shy and a little guilty. He’d called his friend out here, so he may as well tell her everything.  
  
“I kissed Izaya tonight.”  
  
He watched as his friend began typing rapidly, thumbs dancing on the keyboard of her PDA.  


[ Are you still feeling sick? Do you feel hot? ]  
  
[ Maybe you have a fever, let me take you to Shinra. ]  
  
The woman grabbed his arm and tugged him toward her ride and as he stumbled behind her.  
  
“Celty, I’m not sick. I don’t think. I just…” Celty stopped pulling him and faced her friend. He was scratching his neck with his eyes turned toward the ground, but she could make out a small smile on his lips. “It’s the first time I’ve ever done something like that, you know? But I think I scared him.”  
  
Celty released his arm and leaned toward him slightly, as if to confirm that it really was Shizuo she was speaking to.

 

[ I don’t really understand. Are we talking about the same Izaya? ]  
  
“Yeah, same bastard flea.”  
  
[ So you don’t hate him? ]  
  
“Dunno. I mean, he’s still a parasite and I hate this shit he does. But ever since that night… I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

[ Are you sure you aren’t sick? ]  
  
Shizuo laughed a little louder than he did early at that, “Yeah. I asked online about it and they said my gut gets all weird because I like him or something. I don’t really understand it myself.” He reached into pocket out of habit and remembered he was out of cancer sticks. He closed his eyes before as he continued.

“I’ve always hated the flea, but now I’m startin’ to wonder about things. Like what would’ve happened if I didn’t try to kill him when we first met, or why he does the stuff he does. It’s probably because he’s just a bastard, but, maybe there’s some good about him somewhere. And he’s the only one who isn’t afraid of my strength, even though he always makes me do violent things.”  
  
“But after tonight, after I… well, I couldn’t even say anything. I think it scared him, and I couldn’t even say anything when I left. He did thank me for the flowers though, so I guess he can’t be that mad.”  
  
[ Flowers? ]  
  
“Oh, yeah. I kinda gave him flowers.”  
  
If Celty had her head, its jaw would have dropped. She knew Shizuo was a good man, but the thought of him walking into a florist surprised her almost as much as who the flowers were for. Shizuo was, despite what his reputation might suggest, very quiet, very private, and a little on the shy side. She couldn’t imagine the amount of courage it must have taken him to do something so bold.

 

[ So what happened? ]  
  
Face flushing slightly, Shizuo explained the situation as best he could, leaving nothing out. He even told her about the silly advice he got online and the embarrassing thoughts he’d had about his flea. Celty listened, not knowing what she could say and feeling like she could do more good by remaining quiet. When he finished, they stayed in a comfortable silence for a few minutes as she processed everything she’d been told.  
  
She wrote her message four times before finally showing her friend.  
  
[ Why did you leave? ]  
  
“I don’t think he wanted me there, and I really didn’t know what else to do.”  
  
Celty thought for another moment. [ Maybe you should talk to him about it. ]  
  
“It’s Izaya, Celty. I can’t do anything but get angry when he talks, and it’s not like the louse’ll listen to anything I have to say anyway.”

 

[ Maybe he’ll surprise you. He seems different as well. ]  
  
“Different?”  
  
[ Not as… annoying. ]  
  
“Heh, guess you’re right about that.” The blonde scuffed his shoe on the concrete beneath him, “You really think talking would help?”  
  
Celty nodded.  
  
“Talking, huh. Yeah, I’ll make him listen.” Shizuo began to walk back toward the informant’s apartment, raising a hand over his shoulder as a goodbye “Thanks for listening Celty.”  
  
Celty sat on her horse-now-motorcycle and lovingly pet it, a quiet ‘neigh’ rewarding her for her efforts. She wondered for a moment if the encounter with Shizuo had been a dream or hallucination, and decided it would be best to check with Shinra just in case.

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

“I’m still confused about Shizuo and Izaya,” Walker said as he flipped through the pile of light novels he’d just purchased, “What Simon and the doctor said doesn’t really make sense.”  
  
“It makes perfect sense!” Erika closed her new BL manga, “You just don’t understand.”  
  
“I just don’t see how they got together. They didn’t even do anything that night.”  
  
“You don’t understand true love! They couldn’t just _say_ they loved each other straight away, Iza-Iza’s and Shizu-chan’s hearts weren’t ready for that yet. They needed at least one night of hot, steamy fu-”  
  
“Do you really need to talk about that in public?” Kadota sighed, wishing he wasn’t alone with the pair again and wishing Togusa was with them. “It’s none of our business anyway.”  
  
“Of course it’s our business, Dotachin! I’ve always said Iza-Iza and Shizu-chan were in love, so I’m practically they’re fairy god mother!”  
  
The two men sighed almost in unison.  
  
“I still don’t get it.”  
  
“It’s very simple. Shizu-chan and Iza-Iza aren’t the type to say their feelings out loud, so even though they love~ each other, they’d probably use actions. The night they were kidnapped just opened their eyes to what was already obvious because they had to rely on each other, and after that it was just a matter of figuring out who was on top!”  
  
“That still doesn’t make any sense. You’ve just spent too much time on Otome Road!”  
  
“I hate to say this, but it sort of does.” Kadota winced as the words came out, already regretting his addition to the conversation “Looking back now, I guess maybe it makes sense anyway. It always looked like they hated each other though.”  
  
“Of course they did! Hate and love are so close it’s hard to tell them apart. It’s a classic situation of mistaking one feeling for another.” Erika hugged herself tightly and swooned a little.  
  
“No, it still doesn’t make any sense!”  
  
“Well let’s go back to Russia Sushi then and Simon will tell you! Or maybe we should ask the black bikers boyfriend again?”  
  
“Checking with the Dollars would prob-.” Walker was cut off by the sound of all three mobiles singing, alerting them to a new Dollars group message.  
  
**[ Heiwajima Shizuo and Orihara Izaya have been arrested and it doesn’t look like they’re coming back. ]**  
  
“Do you think this is true?”  
  
“No idea.” Kadota reread the message and put his phone away. “Let’s go get some lunch. Maybe Simon knows what’s going on.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**

 

 

 

 

 

Shizuo apologised again to the little old lady again for ruining her rowboat once the fifteen-minute long lecture ended. He had already felt guilty, but after such a scolding he wanted nothing more than the ground to swallow him whole. Still disappointed at not being able to see the waterfall up close, he walked away from the woman and toward the trails, feet leaving wet prints on the ground behind him.  
  
‘ _Stupid fucking flea, always pissing me off and running away._ ’  
  
The flea in question had fled just before they made it back to where they’d started. As the boat had been torn apart during their ‘game’, he obviously hadn’t wanted to deal with the aftermath. Shizuo could hear Izaya’s snide voice in his head ‘ _I’m not the one who thought that throwing wooden boats at rocky walls was a good idea, Shizu-chan._ ’  
  
Fingers itching for a smoke he fished the packet out of his pocket, only to have it squish the packet and shove it soppy remains back into his pocket.  
  
“Fucking louse ruins everything!” he muttered angrily to himself as he continued his walk up the trail. It wasn’t long before the sounds of the waterfall grew louder and tore him away from his bitter grumbling. “Ooh.”  
  
He looked ahead of him and watched as the wall of water fell gracefully to the river below him. He stood transfixed by the sight, no longer angry or thinking about his shitty flea. He wondered to himself how far the water had travelled and why it didn’t stop running, which once more reminded him that the person he’d usually ask was no longer with him.  
  
Feeling annoyed, he pulled out his phone only find it dead. “Fucking flea!” He turned around and made his way back down the trail, hoping that he’d find the brunette somewhere along the way. He remembered passing a cave on their way to the waterfall that the bastard got all excited about, and decided he’d check there first.  
  


 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

**_(Just under) a year and a half earlier, Izaya’s apartment  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

Izaya hadn’t moved once since Shizuo had left. He continued to stare out the window at nothing in particular from the safety of his leather chair, a million thoughts racing through his mind. The words ‘ _nice_ and ‘ _pleasant_ ’ made appeared more than once but he fought to ignore them every time they did.  
  
He couldn’t have possibly _enjoyed_ his beast slobbering all over him like an excited puppy. No, he must have just enjoyed confusing the creature. He wondered if he’d be able to ~~kiss Shizuo again~~ use this to his advantage somehow. Perhaps he’d be able to confuse his beast and turn him into a ~~love~~ slave of some sort, or maybe his schemes wouldn’t be interrupted whilst the blonde reflected on his actions.  
  
A soft knock on the door frame coaxed him back to reality and he yelled to who he assumed was the repair man to come in, not once moving his eyes from the window. He saw the reflection of someone tall walk towards him in the glass and, thinking he must be mistaken, spun around in his chair immediately.  
  
“Shizu-chan…” He hadn’t expected the man to make another appearance. Surely he should be off cowering somewhere, reflecting on his actions and wishing he could take everything back.  
  
“Uh…” ‘ _Shit, why did I come back here?_ ’  
  
Izaya collected himself, his characteristic smirk quickly finding its way to his lips. “What is it, Shizu-chan? Have you come to try and kill me?”  
  
“What? No, I uh…” Shizuo’s eyes darted around the room in search of an excuse. “The flowers! Didn’t put ‘em in water before I left, and I figured you’d just ruin them if you touched them.” He snatched the bouquet from the desk and marched over to the kitchen, petals falling around him as he went.  
  
Izaya watched the man in confusion. ‘ _Flowers…?_ ’  
  
“Oi, got something to put them in?” Shizuo was opening and closing cabinets and drawers as he asked. Izaya rose to his feet without realising and made his way over, baffled by the sight.  
  
“If I do I highly doubt it’s in the fridge.” Shizuo closed the metal door and looked at his feet. ‘ _Is he embarrassed? He looks a bit-_ ’  
  
“So have you got something or not?”  
  
Izaya walked past the man and picked up an ornamental glass vase, returning to fill it with water and a pinch of salt and sugar. Shizuo watched him warily as he did. “Won’t salt kill ‘em?”  
  
“No, it actually prolongs their life.” Izaya handed the vase to the blonde, making sure he kept his distance, “It’s a trick used by florists.”  
  
“Right.” Shizuo shoved the flowers into the glass hole and looked around, deciding that the best place for them would be Izaya’s desk. He walked out of the kitchen and placed them on the corner gently as he spoke. “You know, I pick these myself. I didn’t know the meanings or anything, I just thought you’d like them…”  
  
Izaya watched as his monster absent-mindedly arranged the flowers with tender fingers. He smiled at the display and wondered whether Shizuo might be softer than he thought. Betrayed by his own brain, he frowned and asked a question before he could stop himself.  
  
“Why did you kiss me?”  
  
Shizuo’s hand stopped playing with the flowers and Izaya was certain he felt his heart stopped. ‘ _That’s an unusual reaction to have._ ’ For the first time in his life, he suddenly felt the pang of regret. He shouldn’t have asked such a question, he shouldn’t be reacting this way while he waited for Shizuo to answer, he should have checked to see who was at the door, he should have left his apartment after his beast did.

 

“Because I wanted to.” Shizuo had always been a man of few words, so to express in words everything he felt was quite hard for him. “I think… I think I might have wanted to for a while maybe. But I still fucking hate you!”  
  
Izaya blinked at him, speechless.  
  
“Or, I dunno.” Shizuo turned to face him, face slightly red and scrunched up in confusion, “I hate the shitty things you do and the way you mess around with people’s heads, and that you use fancy words to confuse and hurt people. So maybe I don’t hate _you_ , or something.”  
  
“But I hate Shizu-chan.” Was the best reply the informant could muster. This was all wrong, he should be laughing and gloating right now, trying to make the creature writhe in emotional pain. Instead, he replied so simply, without a trace of malice.  
  
“Yeah, ‘cause I’m a monster, right?”

 

‘ _Have you always been able to make such a hurt expression?_ ’ Izaya chose to remain silent, not knowing what he could say even if he were able to speak.  
  
“But… I think it’s okay if it’s like that. That means neither of us are human, right? You say I’m a monster and that you’re a god, and that’s pretty fucked up but I think it means I have a better chance than someone you think is human.”  
  
“I’m not Shinra, Shizu-chan. I only love humans, and I love them all equally.” Izaya laughed as he spoke, happy at finally finding his voice once more. “Why on earth would I ever stoop so low as to love a _beast._ ”  
  
“Because they’ll never love you back.” The blonde ran his fingers through his hair and Izaya wondered for a moment how it felt. “Your precious humans hate you because you’re fucking insane, Izaya.”  
  
The words weren’t used as an insult and were stated as a fact. Shizuo moved away from the desk and toward the informant. “I’m never going to put up with your bullshit or help you fuck around with people. I’ll always stop you when you piss me off and whenever you try to mess with people I care about. And I sure as hell want you to keep out of ‘bukuro.”

 

He stood in front of the brunette, vaguely aware of how similar this situation was to the one they’d been in earlier. Embarrassed, his voice dropped to almost a whisper, “But I liked it. Kissing you.”  
  
Izaya stared at the man in front of him, his gaze torn between the blonde’s eyes and lips. ‘ _No, no, no!_ ’  
  
“Even if you hate me, I think you liked it too.”  
  
‘ _Stop it!_ ’ he cursed at himself as the words he’d ignored earlier started running through his mind even faster. Izaya could no longer think coherently as Shizuo’s tongue darted out along the lips Izaya remembered to be chapped.  
  
“I think that even if we hate each other, maybe if we like this the-”  
  
Before he could stop himself, Izaya rose to his toes, hand grabbing bowtie and pulling it toward him. He pressed his lips against his monsters, silencing him instantly. His beast instinctively wrapped its arms around the smaller man, squeezing very gently. This kiss was softer and calmer than the first had been, and Izaya found himself being swept away by the feelings of safety and warmth that it conjured.  
  
That is, until he realised that he was being swept away. His eyes flew open and he moved backwards, hand dropping from the bowtie and pushing against his monsters chest. Unlike before, Shizuo complied with the demand and broke the kiss, but kept his arms securely around the brunette’s waist.  
  
“это пиздец,” Izaya all but yelled, frustrated at the situation he couldn’t understand and angry at himself. “Stop doing that!”  
  
“You kissed me, flea! And speak Japanese!”  
  
“I would _never_ kiss _you_!” Even Izaya knew that was weak, but he was already deep in denial and a little more couldn’t possibly hurt.  
  
Shizuo growled, grip tightening around his flea. “Just how fucking stupid do you think I am, louse?”  
  
“I could try to explain but you wouldn’t be able to understand without pictures.” Izaya was aware that teasing his beast might be fatal given his position, but he was sure that even death would be preferable to the conversation they were having.  
  
“I should fucking kill you.”  
  
“Do it then, _beast._ ” The informant sneered.  
  
Shizuo’s grip tightened further and Izaya was certain he could feel his bones snapping beneath the pressure. His smile never faltered once, never giving the monster the satisfaction of seeing him in pain. His beast bared his teeth in a predatory smile, then leaned forward and captured Izaya’s lips quick kiss.  
  
“STOP DOING THAT!”  
  
“Why should I?” Shizu snickered, “You seem to like it.”  
  
“Bullshit!” Izaya tried to push himself away but the effort was for naught.  
  
“You’re swearin’ more, flea.”  
  
“So what?!”  
  
“You never swear. So I think that you’re angry at yourself for liking this.” Shizuo moved his face toward his captive, watching Izaya close his eyes in anticipation. Chuckling to himself, he moved away, “See? You just can’t admit it.”  
  
Izaya’s eyes flew open, rage easy to spot. “I _hate_ you, Shizu-chan. I wish I had dropped you out that fucking window.”  
  
Shizuo laughed as though Izaya were the cutest thing in the world, “But you didn’t. Why’d you cling to me anyway? I wouldn’t have thought you were the type.”  
  
“Let me go, Shizu-chan.” Shizuo released Izaya and took a few steps backward. Izaya watched him cautiously as he moved.  
  
“Are you going to tell me why you saved my life?”

 

“Why did you save mine?”  
  
“Oh um.” Shizuo suddenly felt a lot less confident. Until now, he’d relished in having the upper hand and confusing his louse, but this question put him on the back foot. He decided to answer honestly, because he was no good at lying anyway. “Well, you were injured so I couldn’t kill ya, and, uh…”  
  
“And?”  
  
Shizuo swallowed and felt the mouthful of air moved down his throat. Lowering his voice, he glanced out the window “…you looked cute in my shirt.”  
  
The men remained silent whilst Izaya tried to understand what Shizuo had said. It was bizarre, even by Shizuo’s standards, and barely a reason at all. “What?”  
  
“…”  
  
“…”  
  
“I don’t wanna talk about it.” Shizuo’s voice cracked and he pouted in embarrassment. The childishness of the statement was in stark contrast to the nature of the person it came from. The scene was so ridiculous that Izaya couldn’t help laughing, his cackling only becoming louder and more manic as Shizuo asked him to stop.  
  
It was too much. His beast had yet again exceeded his expectations. As he caught his breath and the laughter slowed, he looked at the man in front of him. He’d always known Shizuo was handsome, but had kept that thought hidden away. He wondered if there was a reason that he kept all of the debt collector’s information to himself, never selling it no matter how much he was offered.  
  
He concluded that he required more information before he could find the answers he was looking for.  
  
“Shizu-chan, I’m never going to stop hating you. But,” he paused, hoping he wouldn’t have to finish his sentence.  
  
The blonde in front of him nodded at him in understanding. “Right… okay. Uh..” Shizuo’s hand rubbed his mouth in an attempt to hide his dorky smile. “Now what?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that took longer to write than usual! Sorry about the delay. I hope that it was a bit more exciting than usual :) Izaya and Shizuo have finally gotten together in some sort of weird hate relationship, but that's not the end quite yet. After all, they're only really on the second day of their vacation and a few other things had to happen before they became the fluffy, cutesy couple they are now. :)
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading! Feel free to point out any typos if you spot them, as I didn't have the time to proof read this before posting (yet again). :D


	11. Now what?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shizuo and Izaya play with rocks, while rumours of their arrest become more serious.
> 
> In the past, Shizuo feels very loved when he gets a bit of help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick reminder about who the chatroom handles belong to:
> 
> Kanra = Izaya  
> Tanaka Taro = Mikado  
> Mai = Mairu (Orihara)  
> Setton = Celty  
> Saika = Anri  
> Bakyura = Masaomi

**_A year and five months earlier (aka ‘The Morning After’), Izaya’s apartment  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

Izaya was roused from his sleep when sunlight streamed through the open blinds of his bedroom window. He closed his eyes rolled over, throbbing head and dry throat making it impossible to get comfortable. He pulled the blankets closer to him only to find they were snagged on something heavy.  
  
Slowly opening his eyes, he saw the body of a certain shirtless monster laying asleep on top of the sheets. Suddenly wide awake he gave himself a once over and, after finding no aches or pains in suspicious areas, tried to remember the night before.  
  
Snippets of information and blurry pictures came to mind, and Izaya realised that he was hungover. Groaning to himself, he pulled harder on the bedding but it had little to no effect. Telling himself it was out of necessity and definitely not affection, he moved closer to his beast, resting his head on a warm shoulder. Eyes closing on their own, he decided that he’d figure everything out in a few hours.

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

Shizuo found the mouth of the cave easily enough and followed the path, surrounded by rocks piles left by those who’d visited before him. The Torii, shrouded by the darkness within the cave, gave off an ominous and spooky feeling. Shrugging it off, Shizuo continued inside. His best friend was headless, he’d fought a mob of people possessed by Saika, and he was dating Orihara Izaya; he doubted anything inside this cave should scare him.  
  
A few candles flickered and cast shadows on the walls and Shizuo paused to take in scene, wondering why Izaya would want to visit this particular place. There were no people here, just rocks and darkness. It didn’t suit Izaya’s interests, but it seemed to match him.  
  
“Shizu-chan!”  
  
Shizuo turned around, squinting as his eyes slowly adjusted to the dark. Izaya was sitting on some rocks with a smile on his face.  
  
“What’re you doing, flea?” he asked as he walked over to the brunette, stumbling on a few loose rocks as he went, “I don’t think you’re meant to sit down in here.”  
  
“I was tired after all that swimming.”  
  
“Tsh.” Shizuo stood in front of the man on the ground and frowned, “Let’s go, this place is weird.”  
  
“I suppose a monster wouldn’t enjoy it here.”  
  
 Still annoyed at Izaya for running off, Shizuo stomped on a stone, “And why’s that?”  
  
“Well, this is a cave where Gods come together.” Izaya stood up and dusted himself off, “They say this is where the gods and goddesses came for a meeting when Amaterasu hide herself away.”  
  
“So?” The blonde had a respect for Japanese mythology and tradition, but he was feeling far too impatient to with Izaya to listen. ‘ _He just likes the sound of his own voice._ ’  
  
“At least try to take in the history. Do you know how old this place is?”  
  
“Don’t care.” Shizuo reached for a cigarette before remembering his soggy packet. He settled for rubbing his face and walking back to the path, “Let’s go. I’m wet and outta smokes.”  
  
“Okay, let’s head to the shrine then.”  
  
“No. I need to get smokes.”  
  
“They’ll kill you, you know.” Izaya skipped ahead of him, “Not that I’m complaining~”  
  
“You’ll probably kill me first.”  
  
“You really~ shouldn’t fall asleep around me. Who knows what I’d cut off first.”  
  
Shizuo shook his head and chuckled, “If your pissy little knives can barely stab me, what makes you think you can cut anything off?”  
  
“I’ll use a chainsaw. They’re quite easy to come across, even in the city.” The innocent smile on Izaya’s face was disturbing when combined with such a gruesome statement, but Shizuo found it endearing.  
  
“Then I’ll hear it and wake up, won’t I? Or maybe you don’t want to kill me.” Quickening his step, he caught up to the brunette and made a grab for him, but Izaya easily moved away from his grasp.  
  
“You’re such a heavy sleeper, you’d probably sleep through your own murder. Don’t you know you’re only supposed to hibernate once a year? You’re such a dumb beast.” He giggled, still dodging Shizuo’s attempts to grab him. His skip turning into a run, he made his way out of the cave and into the sunlight.  
  
The men ran down the path, with Izaya turning occasionally to throw the stones he’d collected at Shizuo, and Shizuo fighting the urge to uproot trees in retaliation, instead yelling a series of creative insults. It wasn’t long before they’d made it back to the village, Shizuo finally catching up to his flea.  
  
“Izaya- _kun_ ,” he growled, wrapping his arms around him in a too-tight bear hug, “Stop pissing me off!”  
  
“Aren’t you going inside?”  
  
Shizuo blinked at him, “Inside?”  
  
“The store, Shizu-chan. You wanted to buy cigarettes.” The brunette wriggled his way out of the blonde’s arms and spun on the spot, “My distraction worked so well you completely forgot about it. Ah~, I truly am the best at everything I do. Then again, it isn’t hard to trick someone so completely stupid.”  
  
“Bastard.” Shizuo mumbled as he entered the store. Izaya was an arsehole even when he was being kind.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_A year and a half ago, Izaya’s apartment  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

 

Izaya weighed himself twice after his shower, certain that the scales were lying to him. He’d actually lost a few kilos during his fact finding mission as his would-be kidnappers hadn’t fed him (not that he would have accepted anything they gave him anyway), but he felt heavier than he had before. Limping into the kitchen, he put it down to stress and ignored it- he only had time for facts, not feelings.  
  
Deciding on coffee, he leaned on the counter while he waited for the coffee maker to do its job. Even though he’d only just arrived home and was in a bit of pain, he still had work to do and lives to ruin. He smiled as he thought of his toys running and hiding as police raided the drug dens, and the face of their leader screwing up in rage and confusion, similar to how he had when Shizuo attacked him. It was little things such as this that made it impossible to hate his job.  


~~‘ _Shizu-chan._ ’~~

  
Coffee ready, he made his way over to his computer and turned on his computer. He wondered what wonderful rumours had spread when he disappeared. There would be a mix of the outlandish and unimaginative, some probably saying he’d been abducted by foreign intelligence agencies, or that Shizuo had finally managed to kill him.  
  
~~‘… _Shizu-chan._ ’~~  
  
It only took an hour or so for him to remove and sort the data from the internal hard drive he’d taken, and another twenty-three seconds to send an email to Shiki (“THERE IS A SALE ON EGGS, SHALL I BUY YOU A DOZEN?”). Work finished and coffee drunk, he logged into his favourite chatroom and, ignoring the 13 private messages he had (probably all from Mikado), skimmed through the log for the previous two weeks.

 

There’d definitely been speculation over his disappearance. Setton had suspected aliens, Saika had no theories but had hoped for a lengthy disappearance (then apologised for having an opinion, though Bakyura had agreed with her wholeheartedly), and Tanaka Taro had generally just assured Setton that aliens were probably not in play and chose not to speculate. His sisters were a little more interesting, suggesting numerous graphic (and inventive) ways the informant might have perished.

 

‘ _How boring._ ’      

 

Izaya continued through the logs, occasionally snorting at the untruths passed around as fact and wondering how it was possible that his precious humans could be so naïve. They had all the facts at their fingertips, yet still managed to jump to the wrong conclusions. ‘ _It’s been a little while since I played with anyone, maybe I should start a new game._ ’ Scrolling his way to the log from earlier in the evening, Izaya ignored the small palpitation once he saw a familiar name on screen.  
  


【Did anyone else hear about Shizuo-san going missing this afternoon? 】

 

  [ Eh?! Shizuo went missing? What happened? ]  


【I’m not really sure… I saw a post about it by the Dollars…  】

 

【Apparently he walked down an alley with that guy with the dreadlocks, but never came out the other side. 】

 

【There were a few loud bangs as well, and the other guy was knocked out on the ground.】

 

   [ Sorry. I’ve got to go, something came up. ]

 

【Oh, okay. Bye then Setton-san. 】

 

**\--- Setton has left the chatroom ---**

 

【Looks like everyone is busy so I’ll leave as well. 】

 

**\--- Tanaka Taro has left the chatroom ---**

**\--- There is no one in the chatroom right now ---**

**\--- There is no one in the chatroom right now ---**

**\--- There is no one in the chatroom right now ---**

**\--- There is no one in the chatroom right now ---**

**\--- There is no one in the chatroom right now ---**

**\--- There is no one in the chatroom right now ---**

**\--- Kanra has entered the chatroom ---**

This particular information wasn’t new, nor was it interesting, but Izaya couldn’t help but reread the text. ~~‘ _Shizu-chan._~~ ’

It felt strange to be drawn to such a small and inconsequential thing and he couldn’t figure out why exactly. Deciding to think on it later, he opened up the private messages he’d been sent.

 

(Tanaka Taro)

 **PM mode** 【 Izaya-san? 】

 **PM mode** 【 You’re not online but… you’ll get these later anyway 】

 **PM mode** 【 There are a lot of rumours about you disappearing 】

 **PM mode** 【 Someone even said you’d left the country 】

 **PM mode** 【 Or that you and Shizuo-san… 】

 **PM mode** 【 Anyway… I’m sure I’ll hear from you soon. 】

 

(Mai)

 **PM mode** (( Iza-nii! Have you finally died? ))

 **PM mode** (( The least you could have done is get hit by a truck in front of Shizuo-san! Then we could meet Yuuhei-san! ))

 **PM mode** (( If you aren’t dead, then please die! ))

 

(Tanaka Taro)

 **PM mode** 【 You probably already know but… Shizuo-san has gone missing 】

 **PM mode** 【 …you didn’t…uh… 】

 **PM mode** 【 Nevermind. 】

 

Izaya turned off the computers display screen, too angry to shut his computer down and began to pace. All he’d wanted to do was bask in the gossip surrounding his disappearance (and possibly his untimely demise), but a certain _someone_ kept interrupting him.

 

‘ _Shizu-chan, Shizu-chan, Shizu-chan! Why must they always discuss that monster? How can they dare to speak his name and mine in the same breath?_ ’

 

Frustrated with his pets, Izaya decided to get some rest. As much as he’d enjoyed his kidnapping and torture, he did have to admit that he missed his bed dearly. He carefully rinsed his mug before walking to his room, turning off the lights as he passed them. Kicking off his slippers he crawled into bed with a sigh, certain that sleep would cure him of his annoyances.  


~~‘ _Shizu-chan._~~ ’

  
He closed his eyes and waited. And waited. And waited.

 

 ~~‘ _Shizu-chan._~~ ’

  
  
Sitting up, he checked the clock beside him to confirm that an hour had passed. He flopped himself back down on the mattress, unsure of why sleep evaded him. He had the feeling that he’d forgotten something, but after running through a mental checklist he found nothing amiss. Perhaps he was still wondering why the chat logs had piqued his interest.

 

**~~‘ _Shizu-chan._~~ ** **’**

 

He frowned just thinking about them. The whole of Ikebukuro was terrified of Shizuo and yet they couldn’t stop talking about him. It was beyond him how any of them could stomach that creature long enough to say his name. All that monster did was run around scaring villagers and throwing his plans off course.  
  
He had no redeemable features at all. Well, his instincts were finally tuned, but so were a dogs. You cannot expect a dog to hold a conversation even if you teach it to roll over, no matter how cute it is. A dog is a dog, and Shizuo is a beast. A rude beast at that! What sort of adult comments on the amount of body hair another person has? Just where were his eyes for him to notice that?

 

The thought sent a shiver down Izaya’s spine. He wondered briefly to himself if it was simply because Shizuo was sexually frustrated. Izaya knew for a fact that, despite having been offered the opportunity on several occasions, Shizuo had never gone far with a woman. In fact, Izaya had paid good money to several of Shizuo’s middle school classmates for information on that topic and there had never been any evidence to suggest Shizuo had even held hands with another person.

Izaya laughed at how lonely and frustrated Shizuo must be, and how pathetic it was for him to look that way at his enemy. He fantasised about a reality where Shizuo was in love with him and waited on him hand and foot, no longer destroying his plans but helping to carry them out. The progress that could be made would be astonishing, and at the end of each day Izaya could come home to him and talk about their day. He’d share his bed and they’d exchange sweet kisses and soft touches, and Shizuo would say that he lov - what?

 

‘ ** _Shizu-chan._** ’  
  
Izaya launched himself out of the bed. “What? No, wait. Hahaha!” He sped to the bathroom and inspected his reflection. His pupils weren’t dilated, and his vision wasn’t blurred. He wasn’t dizzy or nauseous, wasn’t sweating or experiencing tingling in his limbs. He did have an increased heart beat whilst he’d been thinking about… that, but that was all.

 

 **‘ _Shizu-chan._ ’  
  
**That told him that he hadn’t been drugged with anything he knew of, and there was next to no chance of it being new and lasting this long. He ran the cold water and splashed his face, hoping to wash away that _annoying_ name that seemed to keep popping up in his head whenever he had a free moment. He turned off the tap and stared at his reflection as his face dripped, unsuccessfully trying to recall a time when it hadn’t.

 

**‘ _Shizu-chan._ ’**

 

He wondered how long this had been going on without him noticing but drew another blank. Angry, annoyed, confused, and experiencing something else he did not care to mention or admit, Izaya stumbled back to his room. Crawling under the covers, he shoved his face in a pillow and hoped that he’d be set free from this living nightmare.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_(Just under) a year and a half ago, Izaya’s apartment  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

 _“Now what?”_  
  
The question had gone unanswered as a very nervous looking repair man had chosen that moment to interrupt. As he set to work replacing the door, both Shizuo and Izaya remained quiet, awkwardly trying to both look at and away from each other.  
  
Shizuo was sitting on the couch, nervously tapping his feet and trying to decide whether he should stay or go. If he left, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to come back, but if he stayed he wasn’t sure it would accomplish anything. He looked at Izaya from the corner of his eyes hoping that the brunette would make the decision for him.

 

Unfortunately, the informant was currently in the middle of his own crisis and having an internal ~~screaming match~~ debate about what he should be doing. He had decided that he would spend more time with his beast in order to find answers, but now he was having second thoughts. Cautiously deciding to move ahead with his original plan (‘ _Nine times out of ten, the first answer you come up with is the right one._ ’), he faced another dilemma.

 

How should he put this plan in motion? He watched Shizuo in his periphery, catching him steal glances whilst hoping not to be noticed. It was all so…

 

“A date.”  
  
Shizuo looked at the informant, not believing what he’d heard. “A what?”  
  
“A date, Shizu-chan.” Izaya ignored his increased heartbeat and ploughed forwards, “That’s what people usually do, yes?”  
  
“Yeah, but…” Shizuo pulled a cigarette out from his pocket and rolled it between his fingers, “We’re not, you know… And everyone knows us.”  
  
“What’s your point?”  
  
“Well, what sort of place is going to let _us_ in?”  
  
“I don’t see why there should be any problem,” Izaya sneered, “As long as you promise to try and act your age, I’ll just drop my name and-”  
  
“Flea, it’s got nothin’ to do with me being polite or how good your name is.” Shizuo placed the cigarette between his fingers but kept it unlit, “It’s got to do with you and I having a certain reputation. No one is going to let both of us in together.”  
  
“That might be true, but I can think of one place we’d be accepted.” Izaya kept watching Shizuo’s cigarette in fascination, “Why haven’t you lit that yet? Are you trying to prolong your life somehow?”

 

“You don’t like the smell.”

 

“That has never stopped you before.”  
  
“Yeah…” The debt collector rose from his seat on the couch and walked over to informant, stopping an intimate distance away from him. “When should I pick you up?”  
  
“You won’t. I’ll find my own way to Ikebukuro.” There was no way on this earth that Izaya was going to let himself be ‘picked up’ for a date. “Next weekend. Friday night. I’ll come find you Ikebukuro, so try not to throw anything when I do.”

 

“And if I see you before then?” the corner of Shizuo’s lips raised ever so slightly.  
  
“By all means, try to catch me if you think you can.”  
  
“I’ve done it once and that was enough. But so help me, if you piss me off I’ll throw you so hard that you’ll land in Hokkaido.”

 

“Once again, Shizu-chan, you’d have to catch me first. Now please get out, I have work to do.”  
  
Shizuo nodded and made to leave before he stopped dead in his tracks, confusion playing across his features. Izaya barely had any time to wonder what had stopped the beast before it leaned it and kissed him very gently on the cheek, lips just barely making contact.  
  
It stopped as quickly as it had happened, as Shizuo was far more embarrassed by the sweet gesture than he had been about anything that he’d ever done in his life before. He just about sprinted from Izaya’s apartment afterward, not once making eye contact and shouting a rushed “Bye,” over his shoulder and leaving a ~~flustered~~ confused Izaya behind.  
  
Thus, the Informant of Shinjuku and Monster of Ikebukuro would be going on a date.  


  
  
  
  
  
  
**

 

 

 

 

 

 

As they approached Russia Sushi, Kadota asked Erika and Walker to go inside find a table. Agreeing, the duo only briefly greeted Simon before entering the restaurant and leaving him alone with Kadota.  
  
“Hey Simon,” he greeted as he approached the Russian, “Have you heard the news?”  
  
“Kadota-shachou,” Simon handed a coupon to a frightened looking man, “The news about Shi-zu-o and Iza-ya?”  
  
“Yeah. Do you know if it’s true?”  
  
Simon’s smile fell a little as he answered, “I saw on the television police were looking for them, and they’re not answering phones. Could be, could be.”  
  
“We probably shouldn’t call the police department down there in case they aren’t, we don’t want to turn them in by accident.” Kadota sighed, but his voice sounded amused, “But even if they are in jail, it shouldn’t be too bad for them. It’s not the first time it’s happened, after all.”  
  
Simon nodded in agreement and laughed a little, “You know, last time they were arrested was their first date.”  
  
“You don’t mean… that would have been…” Kadota paused, recalling the night in question, “ _that_ was what they considered a date?”  
  
Simon nodded again, leaving Kadota speechless. “Start night here for dinner. We’re the only place who lets them eat here. But sushi is better, keeps them calm.”  
  
“You’re the bravest man in this city, Simon.”  
  
The Russian laughed, loud and deep. “They’re good men, just fight like children.”  
  
“That might be true about Shizuo… Well, I’ll go in. I’ll let you know if I hear anything.”  
  
Simon started yelling to the crowd passing by once more as Kadota made his way inside. Erika and Walker had already ordered and they were excitedly discussing/arguing over an anime that Kadota had never heard of. He’d barely sat down before they asked him about the supposed arrest of Shizuo and Izaya.  
  
“No one can get a hold of them, but that doesn’t mean much.”  He said, taking a sip from the glass in front of him.  
  
“Do you think Izayan and Shizu-chan are sharing a cell? It’s a good thing they’re both men, this way Shizu-chan can protect Iza-Iza when they’re in the shower block!”  
  
Walker grimaced at the visual, “Would Shizuo-san even stay in prison? Nothing in the 3D world would be able to hold him!”  
  
“Shizuo wouldn’t break out unless he had a reason to.” Kadota replied, already starting to fade away from the conversation.  
  
“Excuse me, I’m sorry to interrupt but, did you say Shizuo and Izaya are in prison?” a girl asked as she approached their table with a few friends, “That’s the guy in the bartenders outfit and the guy who acts like a host, right?”  
  
Kadota nodded, laughing internally at her description of Izaya. “We don’t know that they’re in jail though. We just haven’t been able to contact them.”  
  
The girls started whispering to each other excitedly before thanking the group and walking back to the counter.  
  
“This could get out of hand soon.”  
  
“Don’t worry Dotachin, I’m sure they’ll come back soon!”  
  
“Exactly! They’re more likely to be dead than in jail anyway!”  
  
“Don’t say that, Yumacchi! Their love will overcome any obstacle!”  
  
The otakus continued their bickering until yet another Dollars message interrupted, the alert tone of almost every phone in the restaurant sounding all at once. Kadota didn’t even need to open the message to know what it was about.  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_A year and five months earlier, Shizuo’s apartment  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

To say Shizuo was nervous would be an understatement. After briefly explaining the situation to Tom he’d been allowed to leave work early to get ready for his date.  He’d refused at first, already feeling guilty for accidentally getting his senpai involved in the whole kidnapping fiasco, but Tom had told him to run along and have fun ( _“But not too much fun, don’t let your guard down for even a second!”_ ).  
  
So, Shizuo had rushed home, shaved and showered, and was now standing in his room trying to decide what to wear. He flipped through his closet, but he only owned bartender outfits and worn out clothes for lounging around. He wasn’t sure if he was supposed to dress differently for a date and had been trying to decide for around an hour.

 

He thought about going back to the Dollars website for help, but the people who replied were a bit too strange for his liking. Since it was still early in the afternoon, he decided to scroll through his contacts and message a few people asking if they were free to help him. After further deliberation, he decided to message his brother and Celty (making Celty promise not to tell Shinra under any circumstances).

 

As he waited for a reply, he pulled a pair of sweats on under his towel and poured himself a glass of milk to try and calm himself. ‘ _It’s only the flea, nothing to get all excited about._ ’ He almost jumped through the roof when he heard his phone ringing and raced to answer it.  


“Hello?”  
  
_“Hello brother, is everything alright?”  
  
_ Shizuo silently cursed himself for bothering his brother before he answered. “Yeah, everything’s fine. How’s the shoot?”  
  
_“Everything is going as expected.”  
_  
“That’s good then.” Shizuo rubbed his forehead, still feeling guilty for interrupting his brother’s work with his silly problems.  
  
_“What’s wrong?”  
  
_ “Uh…”  
  
_“…”  
  
_ “I know I’m your big brother, but I was wondering if you could give me some advice. You know, since you’re always so well dressed and stuff.”  
  
_“…”_  
  
“Well you see, uh, I’ve got a date and I really don’t know what I’m doing here.”  


_“A date?”_  
  
“…” Shit. He hadn’t told Kasuka about Izaya, and since it was the first date he wasn’t sure if he should say anything yet. Then again, he couldn’t just lie about it to his own brother. “Yeah… with the flea.”  
  
_“Orihara-san?”_  
  
“Yeah…”  
  
A knock on Shizuo’s door forced him to wait for his brother’s reply. He answered the door, fully intending to tell whoever it was on the other side to get lost.  
  
“Celty?”  
  
[ Sorry for coming over before you replied to my message, but I was in the area and thought I could help. ]  
  
Shizuo nodded, opening the door further to let his friend inside. “I’m just on the phone with Kasuka at the moment…”  
  
_“Brother, can you hear me?”  
  
_ “Yeah I’m here.”  
  
_“Could you please put me on speaker phone?”_ Confused, Shizuo complied. _“Is that the courier friend of yours?”  
  
_ Shizuo was even more confused, “Yeah, how did you-”  
  
_“Courier-san, if you still have my number please message me to communicate whilst helping my brother.”  
_  
Celty nodded as she pulled out her phone, fingers typing quickly. A moment after she stopped, Kasuka confirmed that he received the message.  
  
This was all too much for Shizuo, who was very confused about what was happening. He’d gone from staring at his closet to having two of the people he cared most about walk him through what to wear and what to do on a date. His heart grew three sizes with all the love he felt.  
  
After half an hour, Celty and Kasuka had decided on an outfit. As Shizuo didn’t have much in the way of options, it was his bartending uniform, sans the bowtie and vest, with a few buttons below his neck unbuttoned. Celty took a photo of him (despite his protests) and sent it to Kasuka for the final approval.  
  
_“You look nice, brother.”_  
  
“Tsh,” Shizuo looked at his feet.  
  
[ You really do look handsome! I’m sure Izaya will agree :) ]  
  
Shizuo read the message aloud for Kasuka’s benefit and suddenly felt awkward. He didn’t know what either of them thought about all of this and whether they thought he was crazy.

 

 _“If he makes you happy that’s all that matters. You deserve to be happy.”_ Kasuka replied to the question Shizuo had yet to verbalise.  
  
Celty nodded her helmet in agreement.

[ I might not like him but… I want you to be happy as well. I trust you, and if you can see something good in him then I believe it’s there. ]  
  
Shizuo looked at his feet. “Thanks…”  
  
_“I need to go now. Let me know how your date goes, and be careful.”_

 

Shizuo and Celty said their goodbyes to Kasuka and Celty offered Shizuo a ride into Ikebukuro which he gratefully accepted. He’d have to walk around and find the flea once he got there, so the ride would save him time.  
  
Shizuo locked his apartment and climbed onto Shooter, before they sped off in search of his date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter done! :D I hope you enjoy it, and please feel free to mention any typos you see (or anything that needs clarifying). 
> 
> This also marks the last time we'll go back "A year and a half ago" (as far as I can tell, anyway). There will still be 'flashbacks', but they won't go back to the night they escaped from their wannabe captors, if that makes sense.
> 
> Anyway, thank you for reading! :D


	12. Sweet sake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the past, Shizuo and Izaya meet for their date.
> 
> In the present, rumours become more serious and Shizuo and Izaya have lunch.

**I can’t believe they’ve really been arrested!  
  
**

**My friend said they’re in jail and Shizuo beat up all the prisoners!  
  
**

**I heard he broke out and they had to shoot him nine times!** **＼** **( >o<)** **ノ**

**What about that other guy?**

**Orihara? I heard he’s getting a deal for turning on Shizuo.**

**What!? I thought they were dating? (** **≧** **Д** **≦** **)** **  
  
**

**As expected of Orihara-san…  
  
**

**I think I’ll miss seeing flying vending machines…**   **((´д** **｀** **))**

**Ikebukuro just won’t be the same now…**

**I wonder if things here will change now they’re gone.**

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shizuo’s mood improved as soon as the orange filter touched his lips, and once he took the first long drag it was as if the chase to the store had never happened. He savoured the feeling of the smoke warming him from the inside.  
  
Izaya stood close to him as watched the blondes face closely, taking note of each movement and twitch. “You make smoking look like fun.”  
  
“It’s not fun, it’s dangerous.” Shizuo replied, though he wasn’t very convincing.  
  
“Can I have one?” Izaya asked, reaching a hand into Shizuo’s pocket only to have it slapped away.  
  
“No.”  
  
“Shizu-chan is greedy.”  
  
“Tsk,” Shizuo tapped his cigarette and a small clump of ash fell to the ground. “You’re always bitching because I taste like them. You’d just waste it.”  
  
“Waste it? Oh, I see. Shizu-chan is so poor he can’t afford to spare even one.”  
  
Shizuo glared at his flea and closed the miniscule distance between them. It’s true he didn’t make much after he paid for the damages for public property, but he didn’t need anything more than what he had. “At least it’s not dirty money like yours.”  
  
“I’ll have you know that my income is thoroughly laundered.” Izaya stood his ground but rubbed the blade in his pocket with a finger, “And it’s not as if you have such an honest job. I once saw you literally shake a man upside down until his wallet fell out.”  
  
“He probably deserved it! What sorta person doesn’t pay his debts, huh?!”  
  
“Probably the same sort of person doesn’t share his cigarettes.” Izaya teased, well aware of the vein on Shizuo’s head throbbing.  
  
Shizuo raised the cigarette to his lips and took a long, deep drag, never breaking eye contact with his flea. The parasite in front of him stared back with a bemused smile, probably waiting for his beast to try and snap him in half.  
  
Instead, Shizuo leaned forward and kissed Izaya deeply, taking advantage of his mouth opening in surprise. He exhaled slowly and filled the other man’s mouth with the second hand smoke before pulling away. Izaya, still surprised at the sudden and unexpected action, erupted into a coughing fit.  
  
Snickering to himself, Shizuo took another drag. “Now you’ve smoked. Happy?”  
  
“I hate you, Shizu-chan.”  
  
Shizuo laughed to himself and walked away, unable to take the brunette seriously when he was doubled over with watering eyes. “Come along flea, let’s go find something to eat.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_A year and five months ago, Ikebukuro  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

Izaya was hiding in the shadows of an alleyway, carefully watching the crowd.  He’d arrived in Ikebukuro earlier that day to take care of some business but hadn’t managed to run into the blonde masquerading as a bartender. He’d seen Tanaka Tom a few times but was surprised to find that he was alone. He briefly wondered if Shizuo had finally been fired but had dismissed the idea due to the personal history between the men.  
  
It was bizarre, though. Izaya had waltzed onto his monsters turf a few times after their last meeting, making no effort to hide himself, but Shizuo never appeared to notice him. In fact, two days previously he’d almost walked right up to the dumb beast out of sheer frustration, having been certain that Shizuo had cast a glance his way, but decided against it after receiving a phone call from client.  
  
Sighing despite himself, the informant continued to scan the crowd for his date and noticed a small disturbance amongst his humans. A small amount of people seemed to be clearing the area about ten metres away, though the group hardly seemed large enough to be Shizuo’s doing.

 

‘ _Probably just some kids in colours._ ’

 

He looked at his phone and wondered if his beast even remembered to find him. It wouldn’t shock him if the idiot was incapable of retaining any memories after being hit in the head so often.  
  
“Oi.”  
  
Izaya looked up at the familiar voice, not having noticed anyone approach him. He hid the shock of having not noticed Shizuo in the crowd, opting to look him up and down instead.

 

‘ _Is it possible for monsters to be this handsome?_ ’  
  
“I thought perhaps you’d forgotten.” He teased, “What’s with the outfit? Have you finally destroyed all of your brothers’ clothes?”  
  
Shizuo made an annoyed noise and looked at his shoes. ‘ _I knew I was getting too worked up over this. Maybe I shouldn’t have bothered._ ’

 

“Well, no matter. Let’s hurry up.” Izaya walked past his date, shoulders almost brushing. “I’m starving now, since it took you so long to find me.”  
  
Shizuo spun on his heel to yell at his fleas back, “It’s your own damn fault since you never told me where or when to meet you!”  
  
“And since when has that stopped you? Or can you only find me when I _don’t_ want you to?”  
  
Shizuo snickered.  
  
“Just what is so funny?” They made their way into the crowded street with only a few people scurrying away at their presence, Shizuo being harder to recognise without his trademark outfit.  
  
“You said you wanted me to find you, is all.” Shizuo said, smiling smugly, “Didn’t think you’d actually admit it.”  
  
Izaya whirled around, eyes narrowed as a warning.  “I _never_ said that.”  
  
“Sure, whatever you say Flea.” The blonde shrugged, refusing to take the brunette seriously. “So where are we going?”  
  
“…” Izaya refused to answer, simply resuming his walk. ‘ _I’m only here for information, you idiot. Don’t act so full of yourself!_ ’  
  
“Tch.”  
  
The pair continued their walk in silence until they arrived at their destination.  
  
“Russia Sushi?”  
  
“Simon assured me that he’d give you access to a trough.”  
  
“You fuckin’-”  
  
“Shiz-u-o! Iza-ya!” A deep voice distracted the pair from their bickering, “Come! Sushi is good today! Give you discount for first date!”  
  
Both men glared at the Russian. They had _not_ wanted this night to become public knowledge.  
  
“What _date_?” Izaya spat out the word as if he were disgusted by it. “I’m merely taking the dog for a walk.”  
  
“I’m not a fucking dog, Izaya- _kun_!” Those who hadn’t immediately recognised Shizuo by his appearance certainly recognised his voice and dispersed immediately, “And if anyone doesn’t want to be here it’s me, fucking flea!”

  
“Good, good! Dog and flea go together, like cheese in a pod!”  
  
“Cheese?”  
  
“I think he means ‘peas’. Really, Simon, your Japanese needs work.”  
  
“Cheese or peas, sushi is better.” Simon said as he ushered the two inside, seating them at a table. “Eat sushi, enjoy date. I’ll give you something special.”  
  
“Special?” Shizuo questioned, but the Russia simply smiled and walked off. Well, he supposed he’d find out soon enough. “What’re you getting?”  
  
“I want Otoro! I hope you brought enough money to pay for it~.”  
  
“Who the hell said I was buying you anything?”  
  
“Does Shizu-chan want me to buy him dinner instead?”  
  
“No! Just… shut up!” Shizuo crossed his arms and looked away, ignoring the amused laugh coming from across the table.  
  
An uncomfortable silence descended on the table, both men unsure of what to actually say to the other. They’d known each other since high school but had only ever traded insults and injuries. Luckily, the silence was interrupted by their phones (and the phones of many others in the restaurant) ringing.  
  
Shizuo pulled his phone out of his pocket and, after seeing it was from the Dollars, looked up at Izaya, “You’re part of the Dollars?”  
  
Izaya didn’t bother to look up from his phone as he answered, “Didn’t you know that anyone can join, Shizu-chan?”  
  
“I guess.” Shizuo put his phone away, not bothering to read the message. He rarely did anyway, unless there were so many it annoyed him.  
  
“Aren’t you going to read it? It looks like we’re famous.” Izaya chuckled and showed his phone to the blonde.  


  
**[  BEWARE!!! Heiwajima Shizuo and Orihara Izaya are together and they aren’t fighting! It looks like there may be a showdown in Ikebukuro tonight, so everyone run for your lives!!! - =͟͟͞͞ =͟͟͞͞** **ﾍ** **( ´Д`)** **ﾉ** **]  
  
**

**  
** A picture of the two, taken moments earlier outside of Russia Sushi, was attached beneath the message. Izaya put his phone away, giggling at his silly humans, but Shizuo frowned and waited for the ground to swallow him whole. He didn’t uproot a single traffic sign or throw anything heavier than a human body today, yet he’d still managed to disrupt everyone around him.  
  
“Here, special just for you two.” Simon said, walking back to the table with a large bottle, placing it gently on the table between the men. “You drink for free, and say how date happened.”  
  
Shizuo scrunched his nose up as he inspected the bottle, “I don’t drink alcohol. Can I have milk instead?”  
  
“Shizu-chan is too much of a child.” Izaya grabbed the bottle and brought it closer to him, “And this is too sweet for my tastes.”  
  
Simon wasn’t discouraged though, pouring some of the liquor out for the men. “You drink and tell story, then eat sushi.”  
  
“I really don-”  
  
“Drink.”  
  
Simon’s tone had become serious and the men decided to comply. You could never tell what the Russian was thinking, and they didn’t particularly feel like testing him. The downed their drinks and Simon gave them a refill.  
  
“It’s sweet…” Shizuo observed, looking at his cup with wide eyes.  
  
Izaya hid his smile behind his cup. “Since I’m the only one here with a vocabulary consisting of more than twenty words, I think I should do the talking.”  
  
He began to tell Simon the story of the night they were kidnapped, Shizuo interjecting occasionally with corrections or good-natured insults. Absorbed in the conversation, neither Izaya nor Shizuo noticed how much they were drinking as they waited for their sushi.  


 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Welcome Tom-san, you come for lunch?’  
  
“Yeah, I’ll just have the usual to eat here, Simon.”

 

Tom took a seat at the counter and leaned his arms of the countertop. It felt strange doing this job alone, and he missed the company of his kohai. Sure, he had a hair-trigger temper and could probably bench press an oil tanker, but he was a kind and gentle man who really did hate violence.

 

That’s probably why the relationship between Shizuo and Izaya didn’t make much sense to Tom. Izaya was always bringing out Shizuo’s rage and forcing him to become violent. He’d single-handedly ensured that almost every person in the city knew and feared the blonde, still stirring him up despite their relationship. Still, Shizuo did seem happier, and it made Tom happy to know that his kohai was in a relationship where fear wasn’t an aspect.  
  
‘ _Maybe that’s why it works. Izaya is the only one who isn’t scared of him, and Shizuo is the only one who considers Izaya’s insanity to be cute._ ’

 

Tom recalled one of the many times Shizuo talked to him about Izaya after they’d begun dating. Tom was sure that Shizuo didn’t realise he smiled every time he spoke about Izaya’s latest escapades. With the look on his face and tone of his voice, you’d swear he was talking about something normal, like going ice skating and watching Izaya stumble on the ice. Instead, he was telling Tom about the fight the pair had earlier that morning.  
  
_“So I started to chase the bastard and he ran down this alley, yelling at me over his shoulder and telling me I was too slow to catch him but just because I’d stopped for a vending machine, y’know? Anyway, I ran down the alley and to the other side and spotted him straight away, and I threw it at him just as he turned to yell some other smartarse thing at me. You should’ve seen the look on his face! It missed him because he dodged it, but he jumped straight into the post box I tossed afterward and he flew back into the vending machine anyway! I laughed so much I forgot why I was angry! Hahahaha”  
  
“So why were you angry at him?” Tom asked cautiously.  
  
“Oh that,” Shizuo took a drag of his cigarette, “He kept telling me I was singing the wrong words for some theme song.”  
  
_ “On second thought, those two just might be perfect for each other.” Tom muttered, shaking his head.

 

“Here you go, Tom-san,” Dennis said as he placed the food in front of the debt collector, “It’s on the house.”  
  
Tom smiled at the Russian sushi chef and picked up his chopsticks, “Thanks, Dennis. What’s the occasion?”

 

“Have you heard from Shizuo since he went on holiday?”  
  
“No, but that’s not unusual. He doesn’t really like technology much, it makes him too angry.” Tom replied, picking up a piece of sushi. “Why’s that?”  
  
“I take it you aren’t a part of the Dollars then.”  
  
Tom shook his head.  
  
“Well, looks like the both of them caused an explosion at a festival they went to. It was on the news last night. From what’s being said online, it seems that the two of them have been arrested.”  
  
Tom forced himself to swallow. “Arrested?”  
  
“That’s the rumour. I wouldn’t usually believe that sort of thing, but no one has been able to get a hold of either of them since they left. I figured Shizuo might call you if he’s in that situation.”  
  
“No, he’d be more likely to call that doctor he knows, Shinra. Shizuo says he doesn’t want the business dragged into his personal problems.”  
  
“I’ll give him a call then. He wouldn’t call his brother?”  
  
“No, he doesn’t want to hurt Kasuka’s reputation and feels like he wouldn’t be a good big brother if he asked him for help.” Tom picked at his sushi, thinking to himself. “If this rumour is going around, it does explain a bit.”  
  
“Like what?”

 

“It’s probably nothing, but today it felt like there were more gangs out and about. There’s more graffiti and a bit more violence than usual.”  
  
“Yes, I noticed that as well.”  


 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_The Morning After, Izaya’s apartment  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

It wasn’t long before Izaya was rudely woken up again, his phone ringing from where it had been forgotten on the floor.  


“Shuww up…” his beast slurred at the noise.  
  
Izaya felt the pressure of the two warm arms holding him increase and he snuggled his nose deeper into Shizuo’s chest sleepily. The phone stopped ringing briefly, before it started up again.  
  
“Sleeping…” Izaya mumbled to the phone, hoping that it would show him mercy. His head was still pounding and he had absolutely no time for anything that didn’t involve sleeping, cuddling, or being in bed.  
  
‘ _Cuddling..?_ ’

 

He slowly opened his eyes and looked at the man beside him. He’d forgotten that the warmth and safety he was feeling was caused by a big blonde beast he’d hated since high school holding him. He squirmed at the thought, trying to pry himself away.  
  
“Nghh…” Shizuo groaned as Izaya wriggled around.  
  
“Shizu-chan…” the informant cooed, using all his strength to try and remove an arm pinning him to the mattress, “Wake up, Shizu-chan.”  
  
“Mmnghh…” Shizuo rolled onto his side as Izaya tried to pull an arm off him and snuggled closer to the brunette, his face burying itself in the crook of his neck. Shizuo’s lips brushed up against Izaya’s neck gently, warm breath sending shockwaves throughout his body.  
  
‘ _Shit!_ ’  
  
“SHIZU-CHAN!” Izaya yelled, panicking because of his traitorous body.  
  
“Whaa-aat?” Shizuo’s voice was slightly hoarse, but his tone was childish and cute. “Go back to sleep.”  
  
“The phone is ringing.” The informant renewed his efforts to escape, trying to ignore the feelings swelling inside him as he watched the blonde pout. “I need to get up.”  
  
“Nooo-ooo!” came the whining, childlike reply.  
  
The phone stopped and started it’s ringing for the third time, annoying Izaya. “Shizuo!”  
  
Brown eyes snapped and Shizuo immediately released his captive, who rolled out of reach and off of the bed. “Did…did you just say my name?”  
  
“What are you talking about?” Izaya searched the floor for the source of the noise, not caring that he was apparently half naked. ‘ _I wonder when I put Shizu-chans shirt on... Well, at least I’m wearing underwear._ ’  
  
“You just… You said…” the blonde stuttered confused “You called me ‘Shizuo’.”  
  
“You’re half asleep, idiot. I called you ‘Shizu-chan’. Ah!” Finding his phone under the bed, he answered it quickly and sat on his legs.  
  
“Yes? What? Stop yelling, I have a hang-” Izaya frowned, obviously bothered at being cut off. “No… Okay, fine, if it will shut you up.”  
  
Shizuo watched curiously as the brunette ended the call. “Who was that?”  
  
“You think I’d honestly tell _you_ who I talk to? Don’t get full of yourself just because we slept in the same bed together, _idiot_!”  
  
“Don’t give a shit about that, I just want to know who pisses you off that much. I think I’d like them.”  
  
“Well, you don’t.” Izaya hissed as he fell onto his back, spreading himself out on the floor beside the bed, “It was Shinra.”  
  
“Shinra?” Shizuo readjusted himself in the bed so he could get a better look at his flea’s face, “What’s he want?”  
  
“To talk to us, apparently. He demanded that we go to his house immediately.”  
  
“Tch, I’m not doing that.”  
  
“Neither am I, which is why I told him we would.” The informant chuckled to himself and rubbed his stomach, “I’m hungry. Make me some food.”  
  
“I’m not your mother flea, make it yourself.”  
  
“Shizu-chan~” he whined, kicking the blonde in his bed from the floor “I’ll let you eat at the table~”  
  
“You little shit!” Shizuo grabbed the brunette’s leg and dragged him, literally kicking and screaming, back onto the bed and into his arms. “Fine, just give me a minute to wake up properly.”  


 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shizuo and Izaya had difficulty finding a restaurant that would serve them as they were still damp from the river. Eventually they came across one with outdoor seating who begrudgingly allowed them to order.  
  
“So when are we heading back?” asked Shizuo as he was playing with his paper napkin.  
  
“Back where? To Ikebukuro?”  
  
“Miyazaki.”  
  
“Hmm, well we didn’t bring a change of clothing so I suppose we’ll have to head back in a few hours.”  
  
Shizuo groaned, not looking forward to sitting on a bus for that long twice in one day.

 

“It won’t be that bad, Shizu-chan. After all, you’ll have me for company. What more could you possibly wish for?” Izaya spoke and gestured theatrically as if to prove his point.

 

“A vending machine.”

 

After their food arrived, they ate silently for a while.  They had done a lot of exercise and were both incredibly hungry. After a while, Shizuo broke the silence whilst nibbling on a stick of Yakitori.  
  
“I wonder what’s going on in ‘bukuro.”  
  
“I’d be able to tell you if you hadn’t destroyed my phone.”  
  
“My phone’s broken too, you know. Anyway, aren’t you meant to be the all-knowing informant?”  
  
“I have to have the information first, Shizu-chan. Contrary to popular belief, I’m not psychic. However, I don’t imagine much is going on at all. I imagine that everything is going just fine, but if you’re that homesick we can send a postcard.”  
  
“Mm… okay.”  
  
Of course, Izaya was lying to Shizuo, but he did so for two reasons; He wanted to teach the city that took them for granted a lesson, and he wanted to spend time alone with Shizuo (not that he’d ever admit it). They’d been forced out of their home because both he and his monster were feared, albeit for different reasons.  
  
Shizuo was, despite his incredibly violent ways, an honest and kind man. He despised wrong-doing and violence to such a degree that he’d always become unintentionally (and often unwillingly) involved in the Ikebukuro’s problems. His mere presence was enough to persuade would-be troublemakers to be on their best behaviour, and thus kept crime to a minimum.  
  
Izaya, on the other hand, was known as being Shizuo’s opposite. That isn’t to say that he was evil or did bad things, but that he was always intentionally becoming involved in those same issues and ensuring that there was always someone behind the scenes to make things run smoothly. Of course, that was simply a by-product of his curiosity and not the original intention.  
  
The two men were also the only ones able to keep each other in line. Of course, there were others who could match them on various points, such as Simon, but Shizuo and Izaya were true rivals. The sole reason they’d never been able to kill each other was because they cancelled each other out. It was also the reason why Izaya never went as far as he would like when it came to his schemes, and why Shizuo’s presence had become so well known. Their intense rivalry also helped Shizuo to burn off his extra energy, making sure that he managed to keep a tight grip on his rage and therefore reducing the amount of damage he inflicted.  
  
Nonetheless, with two of Ikebukuro’s strongest on vacation, it wasn’t that hard to assume that the residents of the city, who had become spoiled, would soon be begging for the pair to come home and sort things out. It was for this precise reason that Izaya was refusing to even glimpse information on their hometown. He knew himself well enough to know that once he did that, he’d become obsessed and wouldn’t enjoy his holiday.  
  
Izaya smiled to himself in anticipation. He couldn’t wait to see how the city fared without them in it.  
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_A year and five months ago, Ikebukuro  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

After promising Simon and Dennis that they’d be on their best behaviour, Shizuo and Izaya stumbled out of Russia Sushi and onto the streets of Ikebukuro. They had drunk more than they could remember, and as neither of them were drinkers, the effects were devastating. Fortunately, the streets had emptied quite a lot since the warning text had been sent out and people were giving them plenty of room.  
  
“Shizu-chan~” Izaya sing-songed behind him to the blonde.  
  
“Whaddaya want?” Came the slurred reply of the blonde who was focusing too hard on remaining upright.  
  
“Why are you so stupid~?”  
  
“Only stupid people call each other stupid, stupid!”  
  
“I’m not stupid!”

 

“You’re the stupidest!” Shizuo giggled, “You’re always doing stupid shit, so you must be stupid.”  
  
Izaya stopped walking and starred at Shizuo, fires burning angrily in his eyes “Don’t say I’m stupid, Shizu-chan.”

 

“Hahaha! Or what?”  
  
Izaya pulled out his flickblade and, almost tricking over his feet, advanced on the blonde in front of him. Shizuo laughed harder the closer Izaya came to him, and was almost in tears by the time Izaya lunged at him.  
  
Izaya was mid-jump, with his blade held high in the air, when something suddenly grabbed his collar and pulled him backwards. His world spun and he lost focus, only hearing the sound of Shizuo’s laughter in his ears. When his feet made contact with the cement he turned his head, thinking that Simon had followed them. Instead, he was surprised to find Shizuo behind him with his hand on his collar.  
  
“Izaya,” Shizuo choked out between laughs, “That’s a window. You’re attacking my reflection, stupid.”  
  
“Shut up!” Izaya squeaked, wriggling around and trying to get Shizuo to release him. This only succeeded in making Shizuo laugh harder. Izaya opted for a new approach and, after two failed attempts, kicked his monster hard in the shins. Shizuo released Izaya and fell to the ground. “I hate you, Shizu-chan.”  
  
Shizuo stopped laughing and stared at the man in front of him. “You… hate me?” The debt collector was apparently the emotional sort of drunk, because Izaya’s words cut him deeply. He stumbled to his feet and gave Izaya a pained look, before running away as fast as he could manage.  
  
“Shizu-chan!” Izaya yelled after him, “Stop running away and stay still. Idiot!”  
  
The brunette took off after him in what commenced the strangest chase the city had ever seen. Shizuo kept running away, yelling insults over his shoulder at the incredibly uncoordinated Izaya. The chase only lasted for twenty minutes but the sight was so strange that those who stayed in the city began to take photos and post them online. The chase ended when Shizuo ran into a dead end, followed by a very tired Izaya.  
  
“Shizu- _chan,_ ” The informant growled, “Stop running away!”  
  
“Then stop chasing me!”  
  
“No! Not until you stop running.”  
  
The men looked at each other, unaware of how strange their role reversal was. Izaya was the first to make a move, walking slowly toward his blonde.  
  
“Shizu-chan… please don’t run away from me.”  
  
Shizuo watched the brunette approach, unsure of what he should do. He’d completely forgotten about his inhuman strength and all he wanted to do was run. He felt hurt, though he wasn’t exactly sure why, and wanted to go somewhere he wouldn’t be hurt again.  
  
“Why should I stay here with _you?_ ” He muttered.  
  
What followed next was a conversation that neither of them ever wanted to repeat or remember.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is a bit late! I hope you enjoy it, and please feel free to point out any typos. :D


	13. Smash!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the past, the role reversal between Shizuo and Izaya continues.
> 
> In the present, Izaya finds another way to annoy Namie.

**_A year and five months ago, Ikebukuro  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

Izaya didn’t have an answer for Shizuo that he felt comfortable with saying out loud, or one the blonde would appreciate. His mind, clouded by alcohol, was refusing to help him, but the man in front of him was expecting a reply, and Izaya decided to just hope for the best.

 

“Shizu-chan,” he cooed, slowly moving toward the blonde with his arms held out as if to prove he was unarmed, “Where else would you go? I’m the only one who can stand being around you, remember?”  
  
It took a moment for Shizuo to process the words, and heart breaking look graced his features. Izaya, apparently, had even less luck with drunk Shizuo than sober Shizuo when it came to conversations. He mentally chastised himself and made to try again but was cut short by his beast charging him.

 

Or was he? Shizuo stumble-ran straight past Izaya, apparently just wanting to exit the situation. Izaya had just enough time to understand what was happening and latched onto the blonde’s arm in an attempt to stop him from leaving. Shizuo either didn’t notice or didn’t care, however, and picked up speed, dragging the informant behind him.  
  
“SHIZU-CHAN! STOP RUNNING, IDIOT!” Izaya yelled, feeling his dinner move around in his stomach.  
  
“I WOULDN’T BE RUNNING IF YOU STOPPED CHASING ME!” Came the frantic and uncharacteristic reply, convincing Izaya that Shizuo still hadn’t noticed him flailing around on his arm.  
  
Despite Shizuo apparently not being aware of or unwilling to use his strength, he left a trail of destruction behind them. Unable to walk, let alone run, in a straight line, Shizuo kept ploughing into things that would have stopped an ordinary person in their tracks. Power poles, post boxes, cars, and walls all fell victim to him as he attempted to escape.  
  
Izaya, had he been anyone else, would have released his grip on the blonde’s bicep the moment after the first impact. He was feeling nauseous and was receiving an alarming amount of bruises and scrapes but merely tightened his grip in response. On any other day he would be enjoying himself, perhaps running behind Shizuo with a camera and taking photographs and video for posterity. Today, however, he just wasn’t able to. He felt _something_ he couldn’t name and it wouldn’t let him enjoy the rampage or let go.  
  
After a few more blocks the pair arrived in South Ikebukuro Park and Shizuo finally noticed the small brunette attached to him. He yelped in surprise and stopped immediately, opting to try and shake Izaya off him.  
  
“GET OFF GET OFF GET OFF!”  
  
“SHIZU-CHAN!” Was all Izaya could get out before his grip loosened and he flew backward, skidding on the ground as he landed. Dizzy and not entirely sure what had happened, he tried to stand a few times before giving up and just watching the man in front of him.  
  
Shizuo seemed to be frozen, a look of terror on his face.  
  
“Shizu-chan, can you _please_ stop running off like a fucking brat?” Izaya, still unable to stand, chose to crawl toward his monster instead.  
  
A look of guilt replaced the terror on Shizuo’s face as he watched Izaya move toward him. “Are… are you… Did I do it again? Oh god…”

“What are you talking abo-”  
  
“STOP WHERE YOU ARE AND PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR!” A voice called out, interrupting the men. For the first time since they’d arrived in the park, they looked around and found that they were being surrounded by police. All but one had their weapons drawn and pointed at Shizuo.  
  
“You’re under arrest for destruction of public property and disturbing the peace.” The one without a weapon said, speaking sternly but not raising his voice. He began walking toward Shizuo, a pair of handcuffs dangling from his fingertips. “Now I know you can break outta these bracelets, but how about you just wear ‘em for show, huh?”  
  
Shizuo looked at the officer in front of him as he approached. He nodded and held out his hands, allowing the cop to cuff him. The police surrounding them began whispering, amazed by the display.  


  
“Only Kuzuhara would have the guts to do that!”  


“It’s a good thing he was around tonight.”  


“Isn’t he a traffic cop? What’s he doing here anyway?”  


“Who cares? Heiwajima is listening to him!”  


 

“What do the rest of you think you’re doing? Stop gossiping and arrest the other one!”  


The officers surrounding them holstered their weapons and moved toward Izaya who, after finally remembering how to use his legs and standing up, did not intend on going quietly. To the surprise of the officers, he shoved the first officer away with enough force to knock him and the cop behind him onto the ground.

 

It was understandable that the officers there would compare Izaya’s strength to Shizuo’s, given that they were standing so close to each other, but they had been mistaken in assuming that the brunette was weak. Izaya was, after all, one of Ikebukuro’s strongest men and it wasn’t due solely to his exceptional intellect.  
  
Shizuo yelled to Izaya to calm down and the traffic cop laid a hand on his chest.  
  
“Don’t break those cuffs.”  
  
Shizuo watched as four officers piled onto a swearing Izaya, pinning him to the ground whilst they cuffed him. The Monster of Ikebukuro sighed sadly and looked at the officer in front of him.  
  
“Just… don’t hurt him, okay?”  
  
The cop nodded to Shizuo before leading him to a nearby car. “You just behave yourself while they take you down to the station. I don’t think you’re a bad guy, but you’ve gotta make sure you don’t do anything that’ll spook the others.” He lowered Shizuo’s head as he entered the vehicle and closed the door behind him. “I’ll follow to the station. Just keep those cuffs on.”  
  
From the shadows, a dark figure watched as the cop walked toward the group wrestling with Izaya. After a few words, Izaya stopped his struggling and was moved into a car. Kuzuhara walked back to his bike and mounted it, following the police vehicles as they made their way to the station.  
  
The figure waited until they left before pulling out their phone.  
  
[ Shinra! It’s bad! I caught up to Shizuo and Izaya but that scary traffic cop took him away! What should I do?!?!?! ]  
  
The reply was almost instantaneous. [ Don’t worry Celty! I’m sure they’ll be just fine. Why don’t you come home and we’ll talk about it when you get here. ]  
  
Celty smiled internally at the message and another came in.  
  
[ Or if you don’t feel like talking, we can comfort each other with our bodies instead! ( ˘ ³˘)❤ ]  
  
The internal smile was replaced by a ‘tsk’. Promising herself that she’d jab the doctor in the ribs when she saw him, she climbed onto Shooter and disappeared into the night. _  
  
_

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_The Morning After, Izaya’s apartment  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

Shizuo was going through the kitchen, loudly muttering about Izaya being a shitty host. Izaya was drinking freshly brewed coffee and watching the blonde, finding the entire situation amusing. Who would have thought that the Monster of Ikebukuro would be shirtless in his kitchen, searching for ingredients to make breakfast, whilst the Informant of Shinjuku wore his monsters shirt and quietly sipped coffee? Izaya found it all hilarious and made no attempt to hide his amusement.

 

“What’s so funny?” Shizuo asked gruffly, head still buried in the fridge.  
  
“Don’t you just find all this domestic bliss to be hysterical? Don’t you think it’s strange for us to be in my kitchen like this?”  
  
“Only thing that’s strange is a host who makes the guest cook him breakfast.” The blonde pulled out a carton of eggs and some milk, using a hip to close the door of the fridge. “You act all high and mighty but you’ve got shit manners, flea.”  
  
Izaya chuckled to himself and took another sip of his coffee, watching as Shizuo filled a glass with milk. Frantic knocking pulled his attention away from the scene and he placed his mug on the counter and walked toward the door.  
  
“Oi! Put some pants on before you open that!”  
  
Izaya giggled innocently, “Don’t get jealous now, Shizu-chan.” He opened the door with a smile that was quickly wiped off his face. Something cold and tight wrapped itself around his waist and legs, shoving him back into his apartment. He heard his monster yell in surprise before the two of them were jammed into each other with such force that the air was ripped from Izaya’s lungs.  
  
“Celty? What are you-” Shizuo started, getting cut off when a PDA was shoved into their faces.  
  
[ YOU IDIOTS! DO YOU KNOW HOW WORRIED WE WERE ABOUT YOU AFTER LAST NIGHT? FIRST YOU GET ARRESTED, THEN YOU RUN OFF WHEN SHINRA HELPS YOU, THEN YOU HANG UP ON HIM WHEN WE CALL YOU! JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK… ]

 

Izaya chose not to continue reading the message. It was far too long and he was sure he knew how the rest of it went anyway. “Courier, as wonderful as your entrance was, do you think you could release me now? I have no idea what you’re talking about, and I’d prefer to finish my coffee in peace.”  
  
Celty’s shoulders shook with what the men assumed was frustration, and she typed angrily on her PDA. [ Get dressed now! You’re coming with me to see Shinra right now! ]  
  
She released the men who fell to the floor with a slight _thud_. Shizuo guiltily nodded at her, murmuring apologises for whatever he did and pulled an indignant Izaya with him to the bedroom to get dressed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

The rest of their time at the restaurant had been spent bickering over little things. Izaya decided to check the bus timetable before searching for postcards, and Shizuo was glad to find out that they’d only be taking the bus to a nearby train station. The blonde loved taking the train, as it gave him more legroom and the opportunity to walk around instead of being trapped in a seat.

 

With his boyfriends’ mood improved, Izaya dragged him off to a store to find postcards. He watched as Shizuo inspected each card carefully, choosing the cards he felt most appropriate for the people he was sending them to. Izaya, on the other hand, picked up the first one he could find.  
  
“Who’re you sending that to? Didn’t think you had any friends.”  
  
“Ha-ha, Shizu-chan.” Izaya responded as he wrote a cryptic message in English on the piece of cardboard. “I’m sending it to Namie.” He paused momentarily to recall the correct numbers needed for the message.  
  
“Why’re you writing on it in English?” Shizuo peered over his flea’s shoulder and tried to translate what was written, but could only understand the numbers on it.  
  
“It’s a riddle designed to annoy her, of course!” Izaya half lied. Of course, it would annoy her but that was only because it was a work order that he was sure she’d understand. The message. “ _TS: SLC18970602_ ” would surely confuse anyone other than her, especially since he didn’t sign his name.  
  
Shizuo frowned, “She’s going to poison you, you know.”  
  
“Well, it’s fun to try and figure out when.” Izaya looked at the postcards in Shizuo’s hand “Who are those for?”  
  
“Oh,” Shizuo took the pen from his flea, “Kasuka, Celty and Tom-san. Figured it’d be nice to send them something.”  
  
“You’re so thoughtful it’s sickening.”  
  
“Tch.” Shizuo stopped his writing “On second thought, I don’t think I’ll send Kasuka one. I don’t want to bother him too much.”

  
Izaya chose to stay quiet, knowing that Shizuo’s brother complex was not something a rabbit hole he wanted to explore right now. He watched Shizuo write a quick message on the cards, and chuckled at how he addressed the one to Celty.  
  
“Did you really have to write ‘Not for Shinra’ on it? You know he’ll sulk.”  
  
“Why else would I have written it?” His monster flashed his teeth in a cheeky grin.  
  
“Looks like I’m rubbing off on you, Shizu-chan.”  
  
“Don’t lump me in with you, louse.” Shizuo glanced around the store in search of a post box, “What should we do with these?”  
  
Izaya took the postcards from Shizuo and shoved them into his jacket, “I’ll post them once we get back to Miyazaki.”  
  
Shizuo gave Izaya a suspicious look, but decided to leave it. They were only postcards and he doubted Izaya could do that much damage with them. ‘ _I guess it’s not like he can do anything that would mess with ‘bukuro from here…_ ’

 

Sighing, he took the brunettes hand in his and gave it a little squeeze. Izaya felt a twinge of guilt for misleading Shizuo but decided it was in both their best interests if Ikebukuro was left to fend for itself for a while. The city often treated them both poorly, and Izaya was actually quite protective of Shizuo. He hated how much the residents of that city relied on him whilst simultaneously rejecting him, but he’d never admit that even to himself.  


 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_A year and five months ago, Ikebukuro  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

Shizuo and Izaya had made it to the police station incident free and were placed into separate rooms. Despite Shizuo telling the officer processing him that they wouldn’t fight, there wasn’t a police officer in Ikebukuro who wasn’t aware of the history between the two and no one wanted to take the risk.  
  
So there Shizuo sat, alone and still drunk, wondering what would happen to him and being sure he deserved it. He was a monster, violence personified.  Even when he didn’t want to hurt anyone, he still managed to. Even tonight, he’d hurt Izaya when that hadn’t been his intention at all.

 

He’d run from the brunette for two reasons. The first was that he was, apparently, a very emotional drunk. He spent all of his time building up tall, strong walls in order to protect himself from the stares and whispers that had followed himself his whole life. He always figured that he deserved that treatment, but it never stopped it from hurting. The second reason was so he wouldn’t hurt Izaya. He was still deeply traumatised from past experiences and never wanted to put someone in danger again.  
  
As he continued to think in circles, the door to his room opened and the cop who cuffed him wandered into the room. He walked over to the table Shizuo was seated at and took the chair opposite him.  
  
“I didn’t break the cuffs.” The blonde said, his words slurring slightly.  
  
“Didn’t think you would.” The men looked at each other for a moment, as if sizing the other up. “You want to tell me what happened? I know your reputation, and this seemed a little excessive even for you.”  
  
“…I’m sorry.”  
  
The motorcycle cop looked at him quizzically. He hadn’t expected someone with that much violence in his history to be so sincerely apologetic, or so softly spoken. He put it down to the alcohol. “So, what happened?”  


Shizuo stayed silent.  
  
“Well, you don’t have to tell me shit. It looks like all the charges against you and that friend of yours have been dropped.” He ignored the look of surprise on the blonde’s face. “It just seems out of character for you to be so reckless, since you usually confine your violence to whoever pisses you off, and it got me curious. ‘specially since you were running around with instead of after Orihara, I thought you hated each other.”  
  
Shizuo made a soft noise. “We’re meant to be on a date.”  
  
The cop’s expression remained the same, as though it wasn’t a surprising revelation.  
  
“Well, I don’t really get it, but you’ve got to pull yourself together. Stop running around like a schoolgirl and face him like a man.”  
  
“How did you know I was running away from him?”  
  
“It wasn’t that hard to work out. And even if it was, I followed you two for a while, though I doubt you noticed.”  
  
Shizuo looked at his hands in embarrassment. He really wished that he hadn’t reacted in such a way, especially in public.  
  
“I don’t get why you were runnin’, but it’s going to take you nowhere fast.” Kuzuhara stood up and opened the door. “You’re free to go. Go home and sleep it off.”  
  
Shizuo sat for a few moments before standing and walking slowly out of the room, nodding at the officer as he went. He walked out of the police station and found Shinra and Izaya standing outside, Celty apparently hiding a few streets away in an alley. Izaya looked frustrated, and Shinra looked frightened.  
  
“Shizu-chan, so nice of you to finally make an appearance.” The informant said, making no effort to hide his emotions, “Or are you planning on running off again?”  
  
“I don’t think that this is the time or place for this conversation. Why don’t we go back my apartment and I’ll give you both some nice hot coffee? You can talk more once you’ve sobered up.” Shinra tried to sound confident and jovial, but his desperation was coming through his voice clearly.  
  
 Shizuo shifted on his feet and kept his eyes glued to Izaya, thoughts moving slowly through his mind. ‘ _Face him, huh…_ ’  
  
Making up his mind, he staggered toward the informant and grabbed his hand. Izaya let out a surprised noise as Shizuo began to drag him quickly down the street and away from Shinra. Shinra yelled out for them to stop but valued his life too much to get in their way.  
  
Shizuo picked up the pace until they were sprinting away, running down dark alleys and hiding away in the darkness. Izaya didn’t bother asking why and focused all his attention on staying upright. Even standing had been difficult, and he wasn’t sure running was a wise choice.

 

When Shizuo had determined that they were at a safe enough distance he flagged down a cab and Izaya instructed the driver to take them to his apartment in Shinjuku. The only sounds in the taxi were of the two men catching their breath, and occasionally the clicking from the taxi’s turn signal. Neither of them even looked at each other, with Shizuo staring at his hands and Izaya watching the scenery move by them out the window.  
  
When they arrived at Izaya’s building, Shizuo tossed a few notes at the driver before exiting the vehicle and standing at the door of the building. Izaya had only asked the taxi to drive him home and he wasn’t sure if he was going to be asked to leave or invited in. Both possibilities worried the blonde.  
  
Izaya stumbled over to the doors and opened them, standing quietly in place. Shizuo watched him for a moment before realising it was an invitation, and carefully made his way inside. They stood as far away from each other as they could in the elevator, and continued to stay silent until they made it inside the informant’s apartment.

 

“Shizu-chan.” Shizuo jumped at the nickname, surprised to hear Izaya speak. “Do you want a drink?”  
  
Shizuo shook his head a little too quickly and Izaya made his way over to the couch, flopping onto it heavily and closing his eyes. Shizuo kept standing, still unsure of himself, until Izaya patted the seat next to him. He sat down awkwardly and kept his gaze low, too embarrassed and confused to concern himself with appearances.  
  
“Why did you run away?” the question was whispered and barely loud enough to hear.

 

“…”  
  
Izaya opened his eyes and turned to face his monster, frowning at how depressed and human he looked. “Shizu-chan…”  
  
“You… said you hated me.”  
  
“What?” Izaya asked, confused “Since when did that hurt your feelings?”  
  
“It’s not… It’s hard to explain.” Shizuo covered his face with his hands, “I don’t really get it. It just suddenly…”  
  
“Maybe… I don’t know if it’s true or not, but maybe you and your brother are more alike than everyone thinks.” Izaya shifted in his seat a little to get a little more comfortable, “Neither of you show your emotions and just keep everything bottled up. I don’t know what your brother does, but you just hold onto all of it until you explode.”  
  
“I’ve always been like this. It’s not because I’ve been doing anything like that.”  
  
“Hmm, maybe not, but I still think you just hide all of it. No human could live with the amount of scrutiny you face every day. It really is a good thing you’re a monster, Shizu-chan.” Izaya meant the word as a term of endearment, but Shizuo was not nearly perceptive enough currently to pick it up.

  
He flew off the couch and moved several steps away from the brunette. “That’s right. I am a monster…” He made a move for the door but was stopped when he felt Izaya jump onto his back.  
  
“Stop running away! You’re the one who’s supposed to chase me, idiot! Stop making me chase you everywhere!”  
  
“Stop following me then!” Shizuo tried to shrug him off but Izaya tightened his grip.  
  
“Don’t be such an idiot!”  
  
“Who’s the idiot here? You’ve said it yourself a thousand times! I’M A MONSTER, IZAYA!” Shizuo’s voice began to shake and he dropped to his knees, burying his face in his hands. “Even when I don’t want to hurt anyone, even when I want to protect, all I do is destroy everything _. I break_ _everything_.”  


Izaya climbed off his back and moved in front of him. “Oh, shut _up!_ Just shut up!”  
  
Shizuo raised his head and stared at the brunette.  
  
“You’re a _monster_. Yet, no matter how hard you try to push everyone away or how much you destroy everything around you, people are attracted to you. Try to use that fucking peanut sized brain of yours and _think_! If it was just that headless abomination that would be one thing, but you have people around you who care about you. People who are willing to live in fear of you because they _trust_ _you_ not to hurt them! It defies reason, but that’s the way it is. You’re loved and appreciated even though you have a hair trigger temper and enough strength to brush of bullet wounds! Even though you threaten and hurt and rage at the stupidest _fucking things_!”  
  
“Izaya…”  
  
“Don’t give me this shitty human act. You’re anything but human!”  
  
“You’re not exactly human either, flea!” Shizuo felt the familiar bubbling under his skin, “All _you_ do is hurt people! You play your little games, not caring if the people you mess with live or die! You are every bit as much as a monster as I am!”  
  
“Fuck you, Shizu-chan! I’m human!”  
  
“No you aren’t, you think you’re a fucking God, Izaya!”  
  
“Well it’s a good thing I am or else you would have murdered me by now!”

 

“You’re just proving my point! You aren’t any more human than I am and you’re just fucking jealous! Don’t ask me why, but you are!”  
  
“I’m not jealous, Shizu-chan.” Izaya growled through clenched teeth, having lost his composure a long time ago but no longer caring, “But let’s say I was. It shouldn’t be that fucking hard to figure out why. Even my _sisters_ care more about you, the god damn embodiment of rage, than about me, their brother. Everything I do is out of love for humans and what do I get in return? My own sisters wishing me dead and no one that would miss me if I disappeared!”

 

Shizuo frowned, unsure of what to say. Izaya deserved it all. He deserved every death threat and every bit of hatred that was thrown at him, but… He was right. Everything he did was done out of his own twisted version of love. He didn’t do things to hurt people, he did them out of curiosity and wonderment. It was his own way of expressing the love he felt.  
  
“That’s not true.”  
  
“We can call and check if you’d like. Even Shinra, the only person I’ve ever called a friend, was more worried about you tonight than he was me. You know what he said to me? He asked I got you arrested. He didn’t give a _fuck_ that I was there, and didn’t believe a thing I said!”  
  
“That’s not what I meant.” Shizuo stood up slowly, wobbling slightly. He reached out a hand hesitantly and brushed the dark hair from Izaya’s face. “I’d miss you.”  
  
Izaya slapped his hand away. “I haven’t sunk low enough to need your pity.”  
  
“Fucking..! It’s not pity!”  
  
“So you can simply ignore years of hatred and suddenly decide to _love_ me?” Izaya spat out the words, incredulous that his beast could even suggest such a thing.  
  
“I don’t know what this is, flea! All I know is that I’d miss you if you weren’t around. I’ve told you already, I’m never going to put up with your shit or just let you do whatever the fuck you want if it hurts people, but I’m not stupid enough to try and deny whatever the hell this is!”  
  
“What do you mean ‘this’?” Izaya took a step backward away from the blonde, but Shizuo followed him. “There is no ‘this’!”  
  
“Don’t even try to deny it.” He reached his hands out again, cupping the man’s face gently. “I don’t know why I’d rather kiss you than beat you to death, but it kinda makes sense. We’re both monsters, and you’re the only one who isn’t scared of me.”  
  
“Your bar is set incredibly low if that’s all it takes for you to become attracted to someone, Shizu-chan. Though I must say you have lofty goals if you’re thinking about trying to seduce me.”  
  
“I’m the only one you can’t manipulate or predict.” He gently stroked Izaya’s face with a thumb and lowered his voice until Izaya had to strain to hear it. “I’m the only one you’ll never get bored of.”  
  
Izaya stared into the serious brown eyes, still slightly damp from earlier. He couldn’t bring himself to admit or deny anything, but Shizuo wasn’t asking him to. He closed his eyes and stopped thinking, only feeling the warmth that hit his lips a moment later. His hands ran through Shizuo’s hair, pulling the strands in retaliation when Shizuo deepened the kiss.  
  
Shizuo’s hands left his face and trailed down the sides of his neck, over his shoulders and down his waist. Izaya moaned into his beats mouth when he was pulled forward, tightly squeezed against the wall of muscle in front of him.  
  
Izaya pushed forward and began walking them haphazardly to the bedroom, stumbling over each other’s feet and almost causing them to fall. Shizuo became impatient and grabbed his rear, picking him up as Izaya wrapped his legs around his waist, never once breaking the sloppy kiss.  Izaya unbuttoned Shizuo’s shirt and pulled it off, dropping it on the floor of the bedroom. Shizuo dropped the brunette on the bed and eagerly tore off his shirt and pants before pouncing on him.  
  
Shizuo moved against Izaya, desperately searching for friction. He tore his mouth away from the informants, slowly kissing along his jaw and down to his neck. Izaya breathed in sharply, consumed by the sensation. Shizuo began to mark Izaya, his warm breath slowing and sending ripples of pleasure through the man below him.  


The pressure on his neck began to lessen and Izaya silently thanked whoever it was out there for the small reprieve in pleasure until he noticed that Shizuo was no longer moving.  
  
“Shizu-chan?” He listened for a response but was greeted only with silence. He angled his neck awkwardly to look at the man and saw that his eyes were closed. “You bastard!”  


Izaya took a deep breath to steady himself and rolled the man off him. He picked up the white shirt and slipped it on, not in the mood for finding his pyjamas. He slipped into the bed beside Shizuo, cuddled himself close, and fell asleep within minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yagiri Namie was annoyed.

 

Her employer had run off on (probably sex-crazed and incredibly violent) imitation honeymoon, giving hardly any notice, leaving her to do all of his work. Usually, this would be just fine. She didn’t enjoy working for that _man_ , but if she had to do it at all she’d prefer to do it without him irritating her while she did. It wasn’t as if he often worked while he was there anyway, often telling her that he had no work to do now that she was doing it for him.  
  
This time, however, it was as if the man was standing over her shoulder with a smirk, quietly mocking her as she typed. The phone had rung nearly constantly over the past day and a half, with clients asking if the informant had really been imprisoned. She’d answered all of them in the same way, stating as politely as she could that the man was a cockroach who would probably survive a nuclear war.  
  
She honestly didn’t care if he was jailed or dead as long as she received payment for her services. Izaya had quite generously paid her three weeks wages in advance before he left, telling her that she was to keep working no matter what she heard. She didn’t doubt for a moment that he would find out if she slacked off, but the thought didn’t worry her too much.  
  
As the phone began to ring for what was surely the twentieth time that day, she quietly turned off her computer and picked up her bag. She refused to work under such aggravating conditions, opting instead to spy on her brother whilst he was at school.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_The Morning After, Shinra’s apartment  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

Izaya was sitting on Shinra’s couch with an amused expression hiding his irritation as he listened to Shinra’s lecture. Shizuo, sitting beside him, was once again staring at the floor guiltily and Izaya suspected that it had more to Celty standing in front of two of them with her hands on her hips than it had to do with Shinra's babbling.  
  
“You really should calm yourself Shinra. As a man who often impersonates a doctor, you should be aware of the danger high blood pressure presents.” The informant said in a bored tone. “I’ll make sure to reimburse you for any money that was spent bailing us out.”  
  
“Money? I had to call in a favour that I was keeping for a rainy day thanks to you two.” Shinra said, lowering his voice to a normal speaking level, “And that is beside the point. What were you two doing that got you arrested anyway?”  
  
“Don’t remember…” Shizuo mumbled.  
  
“Well that’s not all that surprising given the state I found you both in last night. Just how much did you drink?”  
  
“…”  
  
“Do you even know what alcohol can do to your body? Neither of you drink often enough to handle any more than a few glasses! You risked alcohol poisoning, and that is not a pretty way to die. Let me guess, you couldn’t kill each other so you were planning on drinking yourselves to death?”  


“…”  
  
Shinra sighed and ignored the arrogant look on Izaya’s face. He’d known the man for too long to be tricked by him. “Look, you worried Celty last night and that’s something I can’t easily forgive. She called me in a panic when she saw you two running through the streets and when she saw you being arrested she was in te- OW!”  
  
Celty punched the doctor in the ribs to cut him off, typing a response instead.  
  
[ You were picked up by that white motorcycle! He’s so dangerous and scary, you could have been locked away forever! ]  
  
The mention of the traffic cop jolted something in Shizuo’s mind and he remembered flashes of the night before. “Oh… The one with a scar on his face? He seemed nice, actually…”  
  
Celty dropped her PDA but managed to catch it before it hit the ground. [ Nice?!?!?! He’s scary, Shizuo! You need to stay away from him!!!!! ]  
  
Shizuo nodded to appease her as more memories started to return. He looked at Izaya from the corner of his eye which resulted in quite a large memory being dredged up. He looked away quickly, some colour rushing to his sickly looking cheeks.  
  
Izaya noticed the action but chose not to tease his beast, unsure of what might be uncovered if he did. He’d lost most of his memories, but the hicky on the crook of his neck that he’d spotted in the mirror seemed to jog quite a few as well.  
  
“Well, I suppose that whatever happened doesn’t matter now. But you both need to apologise to Celty and figure things out between you.”  
  
Shizuo mumbled another apology to his friend and Izaya merely nodded at her. Shinra’s phone rang loudly and he excused himself to answer if. Celty, satisfied with the apology offered to make them breakfast while they spoke. Thankfully, Shinra returned before they could make excuses.  
  
“That was Shiki, I’ve got an urgent job so I’ll have to leave for a while and I’ll have to ask my wonderful Celty for a ride.” He smiled, obviously excited at the prospect of holding onto his beloved whilst soaring through the streets. “You two wait here until I get back. Make yourself some breakfast and talk everything through, okay?”  
  
No bothering to wait for their answer, he grabbed his kit and made for the door, pausing only to hold it open with Celty. Shizuo and Izaya could hear him from the hallway as he flirted and made pained noises. Izaya rolled his eyes and turned to face the blonde beside him.  
  
“You said you’d make me breakfast, Shizu-chan.”  
  
Shizuo, to Izaya’s surprise, simply nodded and made his way to the kitchen. Izaya followed him out of curiosity, watching him closely as he raided the doctors pantry. Shizuo pulled out a pot and filled it with water, setting it of the stove to boil before adding some ramen. He worked quietly, making sure to avoid the eyes of the brunette.  
  
The water began to boil and Shizuo kept his eyes fixed on it, despite Izaya’s best attempts to draw attention to himself. Giving up, he sighed and leaned on the countertop, continuing to silently watch his beast. Shizuo wasn’t avoiding him just out of embarrassment, but also out of concern. He’d remembered hurting Izaya, sending him flying across the park. Despite spending both his teen and adult years trying to inflict damage on the brunette, the action had scared him.  
  
He remembered how he felt as a child when he tried to protect the woman who was kind to him. He remembered threatening Kasuka as he grew up. He remembered breaking things around the house, even when he tried to be gentle. He remembered the look in each and every person’s eyes when they saw him for what he was.  
  
Shizuo felt the man watching him and turned to locate some bowls for their food in an effort to escape. He opened and closed the cupboard doors above him, not noticing that the informant had moved from his seat and made his way over to him. He found the bowls and pulled out two, turning to place them on the counter.  
  
“Shizu-chan~!” Izaya sang, directly in front of him once he’d turned.  
  
**_Smash._**  
  
The bowls were crushed in his hand and fell to the floor. Shizuo, already feeling guilty, simply stared at the remains in his hands as small red lines began to form. Izaya didn’t move a muscle, simply staring at the blonde in front of him.  
  
“…shit.” The word came out choked. The bowls had proved his point as he’d, once again, unintentionally destroyed something. He left the remnants fall from his hands and pinched the space where his brows met. ‘ _Useless, dangerous, violent, angry, monster…_ ’  
  
The words repeated themselves in his head, growing louder and louder as they did. He was an idiot for ever letting himself get carried away, for ever thinking that he could be anything more than violent. He cursed himself for believing that he could care about someone, even if it was the flea.  
  
**_Smash, smash!  
  
Crash!  
  
_**

**_Smash!  
  
_** The sounds pulled him out of his thoughts and he looked at the remains of three more bowls and a plate on the floor. He looked up in time to see Izaya gingerly picking up another plate before throwing it hard at the ground, a strange smile on his lips.  
  
**_Crash!  
  
_** “What the hell are you doing, flea?”  
  
“Shinra’s dinnerware is ugly.”  
  
“What?!”  
  
**_Smash!_**  
  
Shizuo grabbed his wrist to stop him from breaking anything else. “Stop that! You can’t go around breaking things!”  
  
Izaya pouted, “Shizu-chan gets to break things, so it’s only fair I get to as well.”  
  
Shizuo released the wrist as if he’d been burned. “That’s not the same!”  
  
“I know that.” Izaya reached for another plate but kept his eyes on the brown ones in front of him. “It’s your strength, ne?”  
  
**_Crash!_**  
  
Shizuo nodded slightly, not sure of what to say.  
  
“It’s a good thing Shizu-chan can never hurt me then.”  
  
**_Smash!  
  
_** “Never hurt you? What are y-”  
  
“You’ve never been able to before. Don’t underestimate me, beast. A god could never fear a monster.”  
  
**_Crash!_**  
  
Shizuo stared at Izaya for a moment, ignoring the smell of burning ramen and the broken ceramic that littered the floor around them. He believed him. He couldn’t believe that he believed him, but he did.  
  
Izaya pulled out serving dish and handed it to Shizuo. Shizuo reached out and took it from him, staring at it in his hands. He looked back at the informant for a moment and was greeted with what looked to be a genuine smile, and Shizuo knew that he’d never be able to say no to that expression.

 

He raised it above his head and brought it down fast, releasing it at the last second.  
  
**_SMASH!_** _  
  
_ White, sharp chips flew around them, leaving cuts on the flesh they touched. Izaya watched as a matching smile formed on Shizuo’s lips, replacing the usual scowl and making him look like a child. He moved forward, raising to his toes to whisper into the blonde’s ear.  
  
“I hate you, Shizu-chan.”

He pulled himself away and heard a throaty laugh.  
  


“I hate you, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a lot longer than usual, but not quite as long as I thought it would be. It actually took a lot longer to write than I thought it would.
> 
> I thought I'd call this chapter 'I Hate You', but it turns out I've already named a chapter that. /: So I apologise for unimaginative name.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you all enjoy it! :D


	14. Chinese Finger Trap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the past, Shizuo gets descriptive.
> 
> In the present, Shizuo doesn't wet himself (and neither does Izaya).

“Don’t be such a tease, Flea.” Shizuo said, his desperation dripping from his words, “Don’t make me b-“  
  
“No~.” Izaya sang. He loved nothing more than when he made his beast beg, knowing full well that Shizuo would never use his strength against him to get what he wants. Not for this, anyway. “You have to say ‘pretty please, Izaya-sama’.”  
  
Shizuo gulped down the mouthful of air and felt it move uncomfortably down his dry mouth and throat. “Izaya…”  
  
Izaya simply smiled and licked his lips, the saliva glistening under the artificial light of the train.  
  
“Don’t make me beg in public. It’s not decent.”  
  
“Why not? You have no problem wanting _this_ in public.”  
  
“You know damn well that making me beg is a whole different thing to sharing a drink!” Shizuo made to grab the bottle of water but Izaya was too fast for him. “At least give me back my wallet!”  
  
“If you want your wallet back you’ll have to say ‘Izaya-sama, my light and my-’ argh!” Izaya was cut off by a very thirsty blonde jumping on top of him.  
  
It was a good thing that the two couldn’t been seen by the three other passengers in their carriage of the train, Shizuo thought, as it would have been incredibly embarrassing for him to have anyone else see him straddling the brunette.  
  
“Give me the bottle, Izaya- _kun_.”  
  
“Tsk, tsk. Shizu-chan, all you have to do is say ‘please’.” Izaya raised the bottle to his lips and took a long sip. “Is it really so hard for you to be polite?”  
  
“Fine.” Shizuo said, but his voice sounded anything but defeated. He raised his hands slowly until they were by Izaya’s sides. The informant, however, didn’t notice the action. “Izaya, may I please have something to drink?”  
  
“Hmm, I’d like to say yes but you just didn’t seem convincing. Try once more, but with feeling.” He smirked, though it was quickly wiped off his face when he saw the beast on top of him bare his teeth in a predatory smile.  
  
Shizuo moved quickly, ducking his hands under Izaya’s shirt and gently moving his fingers into his sides. His smile only widened as the man beneath him began to writhe, the betrayed and angry look on his face a contrast to the laughter that escaped his lips.  
  
“Oh, Izaya-sama!” Shizuo spoke in a far too cheerful voice as he tickled the man below him mercilessly, fingers digging painlessly deeper with each word “May I please, pretty _please_ have a sip of that water?”  
  
“Sh-Shizu-cha- ah! Stopstopstopstop _stop_!” Izaya tried to push Shizuo off his lap but was only rewarded with his beasts hand trailing up slightly further, feather-like touches tickling his ribs, “Y-you promised you wouldn’t do th-this anymo-ore!”  
  
Shizuo laughed, enjoying the informant as his body gave way to laughter. “And you said you’d let me have some of that water, flea! I guess we’re both terrible people.”  
  
“F-fine!” Izaya choked out, “Just get _off!_ ”  
  
Shizuo grabbed the bottle and dismounted his flea, pulling down his shirt with a snicker. He opened the bottle and drank half of the remaining amount. “Ah, that’s much better. Thank you, Izaya- _sama_.”  
  
“Oh, go ‘sama’ yourself, beast.” Izaya pouted, crossing his arms and turning his entire body to the window.  
  
Shizuo watched him, pleased with the result. Izaya was, despite his arguments to the contrary, not unlike a spoiled child. He might not throw himself on the floor and scream, but he definitely threw passive-aggressive tantrums when he didn’t get his own way. Shizuo adored watching the mighty god act so childishly, and it always brought out the mischief in him. “Izaya?”  
  
“…”  
  
“Izaya~?” He sang, this time causing a frown to appear on Izaya’s face. He used a voice reserved for consoling angry toddlers and continued, “What’s wrong, Izaya? Do you need a hug?”  
  
“Fuck you.”  
  
Shizuo smiled again, adoring the reactions. He raised a hand and moved it toward the brunette’s face so that a finger was incredibly close but not actually touching, not saying a word as he did so.  
  
Izaya, upon noticing the finger, turned his head slowly to face the blonde with a glare. “Do _not_ touch me, Shizu-chan.”  
  
“I’m not touching you, Izaya. I wouldn’t _dream_ of doing that.” He tried his best to keep his face serious, but the twitching of his lips betrayed him. He managed to move his hand just in time to avoid Izaya’s teeth.  
  
“Leave me alone.”  
  
“Don’t sulk, Izaya.”  
  
“I am _not_ sulking, idiot.”  
  
Shizuo laughed to himself, causing the glare to grow even more dangerous. “Maybe you just need a nap.”  
  
“I am not a child, _idiot_!” Izaya raised a hand before the blonde noticed and grabbed his nipple, twisting it roughly.  
  
“WHAT THE FUCK?” Shizuo yelled as he jumped backward, ungracefully landing on his rear. The passengers at the front of the carriage looked back at the commotion, embarrassing Shizuo.  
  
Izaya chuckled. “Shizu-chan, you’re so silly. Have you forgotten how to use those muscles of yours to stay upright? Don’t tell me you’ve wet yourself as well?”  
  
Izaya uncapped the water bottle and tossed a small amount of water at Shizuo’s crotch, his beast narrowly dodging it. Shizuo struggled back up to his seat, the aura around him becoming murderous. He knew that he couldn’t kill or seriously injury his flea, but his definition of ‘seriously injure’ was different to most. _‘Two broken bones and a dislocation should be okay... Right? Ah shit, then he’ll just bitch about it.’  
  
_ Izaya stared at him with a smug smile. “Oooh, so scaaary! Shizu-chan looks like he’s going to snap! I surrender, please don’t hurt me, monster!”  
  
That was enough for Shizuo to snap.  
  
He grabbed both of Izaya’s wrists and held them in one hand above his head as a deep noise escaped his lips. Izaya stopped smiling, his features becoming serious. “Don’t you even _think_ about it!”  
  
“Shoulda thought about that before you decided to act like such a shitty flea!” With that, Shizuo resumed his tickle assault, ignoring the pained laughter it caused. “I’ll make you piss yourself for real!”  
  
“St-stop! Shizu-ch-ah ha!”  
  
“Say please!”  
  
“N-no! Never!”  
  
Shizuo worsened the attack, moving his hand over the informant’s stomach. “Say ‘pretty please’!”  
  
“St-stop! Pl-ah haha!”  
  
Shizuo looked at Izaya’s pitiful expression, enjoying it for the second time. _‘He’s so cute…’_ He pulled his hand away from the man’s stomach and released the wrist, dropping arm around Izaya’s shoulder and squeezing him gently.  
  
Izaya tried to pull away to try and reclaim some of his pride but gave up sighing, “You’re such an animal.”  
  
Shizuo tilted his head, kissing the brunette hair under his chin “Yeah, whatever.”  
  
Izaya frowned and leaned into him, resting a head on the strong shoulder. It always amazed him how soft and comfortable Shizuo was, despite the thick muscle beneath his skin. He had always assumed that his body would be hard, but once his beast relaxed his muscle felt like a firm pillow.  
  
It was as his eyes began to close that he noticed Shizuo’s breathing becoming slower and more even and he forced himself to stay awake, reaching a hand into his pocket to hold his flick blade. Even if they weren’t in Tokyo, many people held grudges against the two men and it was never a good idea to let their guards down in public. The fact that Shizuo trusted him enough to fall asleep in front of him never failed to fill Izaya with warm, indescribable feelings. No one had ever trusted him before (and with good reason).  
  
Focusing on the conversation of the passengers at the front of the train, he decided to let his monster sleep for the rest of the journey and watch over him quietly.  
  
  
  
  
  


  
**  


 

 

 

 

 

**_The Morning After, Shinra's apartment  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

Shinra braced himself outside the door of his apartment.  Celty had a job so she had dropped him at the front of the building after he assured her he would be fine going upstairs alone.  He didn’t want to worry her or make her late for her client, but he had no idea what he’d find on the other side of the door.  
  
He strained his ears, listening for the sounds of a fight but heard nothing. A part of him thought that the enemies might have simply left, but years of experience warned him that he might find a dead body inside. He took a deep breath and summoned his courage, opening the door slowly and peeking through the gap.  
  
_‘Well, that’s unexpected.’  
  
_ What surprised him was that he couldn’t see any dead bodies in his house that hadn’t been there before he left. He walked slowly into the chaos and inspected the damage, mentally preparing the bill he’d present Izaya with shortly. It looked as though all of the dinnerware had been smashed on the ground, the television screen had been smashed, the couches ripped and shredded, and the coffee table was lying in splinters.  
  
He sighed loudly and looked around the room for the men, walking into the spare room he used to treat patients and hoping that the destruction hadn’t reached it. He pushed open the slightly open door and cleared his throat loudly, his face going red at the scene in front of him.  
  
He had expected injuries or death, but he hadn’t expected his two childhood friends to be covered in blood and voraciously kissing one another. He averted his eyes, hoping that seeing Shizuo’s hand tightly squeezing Izaya’s arse whilst the latter moaned wouldn’t scar him.  
  
He cleared his throat again and knocked loudly on the door, finally catching their attention. The blonde looked embarrassed and quickly pushed the informant away, sending him flying across the room and into the bed. Izaya had a look of shock and hurt on his face (‘you _can feel hurt?!_ ’) at the action until he noticed Shinra’s presence.  
  
Understanding the situation, he smiled broadly at the underground doctor. “Welcome home, Shinra. How was work today?”  
  
Shizuo stood quietly, still obviously embarrassed, and stared at the ceiling.  
  
“Do you two have to be so violent no matter what you do?” Shinra sighed, “What am I supposed to tell Celty when she gets home?”  
  
Izaya shrugged, smile still in place. “You did tell Shizu-chan and I to work things out.”  
  
“Work them out, not destroy my apartment! And just how does destroying everything and beating each other up solve anything?”  
  
“We didn’t hurt each other.” Shizuo responded softly, though the blood on his shirt wasn’t convincing “We got like this because of your stuff.”  
  
“It’s as Shizu-chan says,” Izaya pushed himself off the bed and sauntered over to the blonde, “We just needed a little _something_ to help with our talks.”  
  
Shizuo lowered his head and adjusted his glasses to hide his embarrassment as his flea pushed the backs of their hands against each other. Neither of them were comfortable with affection, so the action was more intimate for them than anyone would suspect.  
  
“I hope you know that you’ll be paying for replacements, Izaya-kun.” Shinra sighed heavily again and turned to exit the room.  
  
“Oi! Aren’t you, you know… surprised?” Shizuo asked nervously. Izaya tried to read Shinra’s body language for an answer as he was also curious.  
  
Neither of them expected the doctor to laugh as he turned back around. “Well, frankly, no. I’m not. It’s been obvious for quite some time actually, though I don’t understand why you needed to work things out this way. Honestly, Celty and I have never destroyed the house as foreplay and our love burns much brighter than yours.” Izaya and Shizuo rolled their eyes, having become bored with Shinra’s obsession years prior. “Unless you have any injuries that are serious enough for me to look at, I’d appreciate it if you left before you did more damage.”  
  
“You’re the one who made us stay here, Shinra. You had to have expected something like this to happen.”  
  
“I expected dead bodies, not two idiots tearing my couch too pieces, Shizuo-kun. The kissing was expected though, I suppose. Especially after last night…”  
  
Shinra quickly regretted his insult when he saw the look on the blonde’s face. He definitely knew better than to call him an idiot in person, and prepared to prostrate himself and apologise.  
  
“Shizu-chan, you are an idiot. Don’t get mad at Shinra for simply pointing out the obvious.”  
  
Shinra, given the chance to escape, hightailed it out of the room before he was used as a weapon.  
  
Izaya snickered as he left, ignoring the muttered insults being thrown at him. “Looks like we scared him away. He never was very brave, was he?”  
  
Shizuo glanced at the door and then back to Izaya. “So you said that just to make him leave?”  
  
“Of course!”  
  
“So… you don’t think I’m an idiot anymore?” The hopeful tone in Shizuo’s voice did not go unnoticed, but Izaya would always be Izaya.  
  
“Oh no, Shizu-chan. I did mean that.” He leaned up and gave him a quick kiss on the check before moving quickly out the door, smiling manically as he went “You are an idiot, after all. A big, dumb brute with no redeeming features. Honestly, I’m surprised you have opposable thumbs!”  
  
Shizuo stood stunned for a moment as the brunette bolted before his brain processed what had just happened.  
  
“III-ZZZAAAYYY-AAA!”  
  
And just like that, the chase was on.  
  
Izaya flew down the fire escape at a near supernatural speed, jumping to the ground from the last landing. He heard the beast yelling at him from the floor he’d escaped from and knew there wasn’t much time, putting all his energy into sprinting away.  
  
**_Thump._**  
  
The informant turned his head for a moment to confirm his suspicions. _‘Seriously? You jumped straight down and ignored the stairs entirely!’_ Deciding to think about that later, he dodged a trashcan by running half way up a wall, gracefully jumping to the ground once he was clear. He could hear the strangled yells coming from behind him and the groaning of various metal objects being torn from the ground. _‘Shit!’_  
  
He turned a corner just in time to dodge a street-sign-turned-javelin, desperately trying to make his legs move faster. He knew his beast wasn’t that far behind him, though he couldn’t stop himself from taunting him when the creature yelled out to him to stop running.  
  
“Why would I stop? Shizu-chan uses too much tongue!”  
  
“YOU FUCKING FLEA!”  
  
Izaya cackled, enjoying Shizuo’s embarrassment and the confusion on the faces of those they passed. He had originally wanted to keep their whatever-this-is a secret, but knowing Simon and Shinra he guessed that the news would leak sooner rather than later. “You’re always chasing me, Shizu-chan. You must enjoy the view from behind!”  
  
Shizuo laughed loudly, the sound forcing the hairs on the back of Izaya’s neck to stand up. His monster was unpredictable and he knew that if he was laughing it could be bad for him. He chanced another quick look behind him and saw the face of a devil.  
  
“I didn’t hear you complaining last night, flea!”  
  
_‘Beast!’_  
  
Well if this is how Shizuo wanted to play, this is how he would play. Izaya was certain that he could win at a war of words, and even more sure that he could embarrass Shizuo more than he himself would become embarrassed. He laughed loudly to himself, before singing out “How could I complain? Shizu-chan is _such_ a beast in the bedroom, I never had the time to decline! I think I’ll be sore for days!”  
  
_‘You’re probably dying of shame, ne? It’s your own fault for challenging Orihara Izay-’_  
  
“It’s not my fault you’re so delicious, flea. Your arse is like a fucking Chinese finger trap, I thought I’d be stuck in there forever!”  
  
Izaya’s body failed to work anymore and he stopped where he was. He couldn’t believe that his monster would come up with something so crass and eerily specific just off the cuff. Shizuo was supposed to be his usual angry and unintelligible self. He turned slowly, eyes wide, to face the grinning blonde who had slowed to a walk.  
  
“Ah, gotcha.” Shizuo said, loudly enough for those surrounding them to hear. He leaned forward slightly and wrapped an arm around the brunette’s knees, throwing him gently onto his shoulder. The small crowd of people that had gathered at the strange sight stood in silence, mouths agape.  
  
Shizuo slapped his flea on the arse hard enough to make a sound but not hard enough to leave a bruise. “Come along, flea. Time for round two.”  
  
With that, he walked agonisingly slow through Ikebukuro and toward his house, grinning the entire way. Not only was his flea unafraid of him, he’d manage to embarrass him in front of all his precious humans. He couldn’t quite say he’d caught him this time, but he’d already caught him once before and that was more than enough for him.  


 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Yo, Tom-senpai.”  
  
“Kadota, how’s things?” The debt collector asked as he put down his chopsticks.  
  
“Same as always. How’s work without Shizuo?”  
  
“To be honest, I know he needs the holiday but things are a lot easier with him around. His reputation seems to stop most of them from trying anything.”  
  
“If you ever run into trouble while he’s not here and need a hand, feel free to ask. ”  
  
Tom nodded gratefully, though he knew he’d never take Kadota up on his offer. “So are you having lunch alone? You should have come over sooner.”  
  
“Ah, no. I’m with Karisawa and Walker but they went to the bathroom. I thought I’d come over before they noticed you.” Kadota admitted, scratching the back of his head.  
  
“Noticed me?”  
  
“Yeah, you’ve heard the rumours about Shizuo and Izaya? Well, they’d probably ask a thousand questions about that a-”  
  
“Dotachin! You found Shizu-chan’s boss!”  
  
Kadota gave Tom a look of apology as the energetic otaku bounded over to them. “Do you know if they’ve really been arrested? Are they sharing a cell? Do you know who tops?”  
  
Kadota shook his head and slapped his palm to his face whilst Tom tried to understand what had just happened. “Uh, I don’t think they’ve been arrested. I don’t know the other stuff either…”  
  
Erika let out a long sigh, “No one knows anything about those two!”

 

“What do you mean?” Tom asked, missing Kadota’s look of warning.  
  
“Well~,” Erika sat on the stool next to Tom, “I don’t even know how they got together! The only thing we found out was that they finally realised their feelings for each other after being kidnapped!”  
  
“Ah, I see.” Tom rubbed his chin, trying to recall how it all came about himself “I don’t really know either. I just remember Shizuo mentioning it one day.”  
  
“Ooh, what’d he say?” Walker asked, appearing behind Kadota.  
  
“Not much, Shizuo isn’t a big talker. I just remember that Izaya was in Ikebukuro a few times one week and instead of chasing him, Shizuo just ignored him. After that week, each time we saw him he got this huge smile on his face he’d try to hide with his hands. At first I thought he’d finally worked out to catch Izaya, but then one day I asked him about it and he said he doesn’t want to kill him anymore.”  
  
“Did he say why!?”  
  
“He just said he’d preferring breaking his legs and something about him catching him once was enough. Ah, but I’d prefer it if you didn’t mention this to him.”  
  
“I’ll make sure they don’t.” Kadota said with a pointed look at his otaku friends. “So you really don’t know anything about their arrest?”  
  
“I’m afraid not. I told Simon to ask Shinra, since he’s the one who got them out last time.”  
  
“I might give him a call as well then. Thanks for the help.”  
  
“Any time.” Tom finished his drink and wiped his mouth with a paper napkin as he rose from his stool, “I better get back to work. It was nice seeing you all, make sure you’re stay safe.”  
  
“Safe?” Chirped Walker.  
  
“Yeah, a lot more gang activity now that Shizuo and Izaya aren’t around.” Tom cringed a little, “They better hope they’re gone before those two get back.”  
  
With a small nod, Tom left the restaurant and the trio. He was certain Shizuo would be alright, even if he was with Izaya, so he chose not to think about it.  
  
“You know, I think he’s right.” Walker thought aloud, “There do seem to be a lot more colour gangs out since Izaya-san and Shizuo-san got arrested.”  
  
“If only they came home! Our tragic heroes should never have been pushed away!”

 

Kadota sighed, again, “We can take care of that stuff, it’s not like we haven’t before.”  
  
With a nod of farewell to Simon, the trio followed Tom’s lead and exited the restaurant in search of information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

Izaya had woken a very childish Shizuo before the train made it to the station, having decided that leaving him asleep would cause him more trouble than fun. He’d stayed awake for the entire journey back to Miyazaki and was looking forward to a very early night. Shizuo, on the other hand, appeared to have energy to spare.  
  
“Let’s go to the beach!” Shizuo said in a cheerful voice that grated on Izaya’s nerves as the latter unlocked their hotel door.  
  
“No.”  
  
“We can go for a late swim!”  
  
“Tomorrow.”  
  
“But it-”  
  
“Shizu-chan,” Izaya started in a very unamused tone once they entered the room, “I need to bathe and sleep. Some of us aren’t ridiculous enough to sleep in public and I’m exhausted.”  
  
“Flea, we always do what you want. Just do something I want for once.”  
  
The glare Izaya shot him could have killed the neighbours, “Did we go to the shrine? Or see the waterfall from the rowboat?”  
  
“Tch.” Shizuo folded his arms. He knew that his flea was right, and that he was tired, but he had so much energy and for some reason he couldn’t fathom, wanted to be near the informant.  
  
“Tomorrow. In the meantime, you bathe first since you always stink like a wet animal when you’re dirty. I’ll go post these postcards.”  
  
Shizuo eyed him suspiciously. He wasn’t sure why, but he still didn’t trust Izaya with those postcards.  
  
Izaya noticed the look he was being given and mistook it for something entirely different. “What’s with that look? I’m not running off with another lover.”  
  
Shizuo completely forgot about his earlier suspicions “What other lover?!”  
  
“Are you an idiot? I just said I don’t have one!”  
  
“Then why’d you bring it up? Tell me who it is!” Shizuo walked right in front of Izaya, his eyes clouded with mixed emotions “Is it… Shini?”  
  
“Do you mean Shiki, a client of mine from Awakusu-kai?”  
  
“Yeah, him!”  
  
“He likes women, Shizu-chan.” Izaya stifled a small giggle at the panicky accusation, “In any case, do you honestly believe that anyone would even dare to think about me when they know I’m with you? They’d honestly have a death wish.”  
  
Shizuo scowled but ultimately agreed. “I’ll have the first shower.”  
  
“You do that.” Izaya muttered as he hovered over the small table for a moment before heading out the door. “I’ll be back shortly”  
  
Shizuo made a noise to say he’d heard and grabbed some sweatpants out of his suitcase. He walked into the bathroom, dumped them on the lid of the toilet and turned the taps of the shower on. As he was adjusting the temperature, his noticed his reflection in the mirror.  He studied it for a moment and wondered what it was about him that his flea liked. He certainly didn’t think he looked any better than average, so it might not have been his looks.  
  
He stripped his clothes and kicked them into the corner before hopping into the shower. He cleaned himself with the shower head, watching the beads of water roll off his skin as he continued to think. It probably wasn’t his strength either, since Izaya always insisted on ignoring it. He might have mocked him for it regularly, but he never made him use it for anything. Hell, Izaya usually took the lids off jars and such for Shizuo. The memories made him smile a little.  
  
He knew his flea would never cheat on him (no matter how untrustworthy he was in every other area), but he really couldn’t help but get jealous sometimes. Shizuo often thought that he needed Izaya more than the other man needed him, and it was just because of their feelings. Izaya was truly unafraid of him and totally accepting. He still thought Shizuo was a monster, but that word wasn’t an insult anymore. It was an acknowledgement, and the blonde loved that he never had to hide any part of himself.  
  
Despite all of their petty arguments, name calling, and general douchebaggery toward each other, Shizuo had never been more at peace. ‘ _I should do something nice for the flea._ ’ With his mind made up, he quickly finished his shower and got dressed, ready to go out once more.  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_The Morning After, Shizuo's apartment  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

It wasn’t until they’d made it back to Shizuo’s apartment that Izaya finally decided to say something. Shizuo had kept him over his shoulder until he walked into his living room and plonked his flea on the couch. Izaya glared at him and Shizuo beamed back at him, proud of himself for having won the earlier battle.  
  
“How dare you?!” Izaya said, louder than he had intended.  
  
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Shizuo grinned back, irritating Izaya.  
  
“How could you say that! And who said you could carry me, you brute!” the informant shot up from the couch and into the face of the men who stood before him, “You can’t just hit me on the head and drag me back to your cave!”  
  
Shizuo frowned a little, “You hit your head?”  
  
“OF COURSE I DIDN’T HIT MY HEAD, SHIZU-CHAN!” Izaya yelled, though the noise came out strangely as he tried to adjust it “Don’t you understand anything?”  
  
“You started it!” Shizuo growled back.  
  
“I don’t care! I’m _not_ having sex with _you!_ ” Izaya folded his arms and tried his best to look defiant. He actually wanted to sleep with Shizuo but he didn’t want to admit that. It was a normal human reaction and it didn’t mean anything.  
  
Meanwhile, Shizuo looked as though he’d been punched in the face by a bulldozer, “Oi! That’s not why I brought you here, fucking flea!”

 

“I don’t believe you! You’re an animal, so there’s no other possible reason!”

 

Shizuo took three deep breaths and tried to calm himself down. When that failed, he fumbled for a smoke and his lighter, taking a longer than usual drag once the thing was lit. He looked at Izaya, who was impatiently waiting for an excuse, before arranging his thoughts.  
  
“This is the only place we can talk, y’know?” He took another puff to steady himself, “I need to say some stuff, and you need to shut up and listen, alright? No laughing and shit either.”  
  
Izaya kept his arms crossed and his expression cold, but returned to his seat on the couch. Shizuo watched him and became a little nervous, but he knew he had to get it out sooner rather than later.  
  
“Alright then.” He took a seat on his coffee table and moved the ash tray to his leg, “First of all, I don’t want this-” he gestured a hand between them “to change anything. You’re still a shitty flea and you’re usually up to no good. I’m not gonna stop stopping you, because I know you won’t stop.”  
  
Izaya nodded a microscopic amount in agreement. He certainly didn’t plan to stop, so his beast would always try to stop him. It made sense.  
  
“Second of all, I, uh,” Shizuo took another puff, “I won’t… you know, try to kill you anymore. But that’s only because I like kissing you, so I’ll still break your fucking legs if you piss me off!”  
  
Izaya swallowed his laugh at the man in front of him. It was ridiculous and adorable rolled into something dangerous, and it felt exhilarating.  
  
“Third…” The blood rushed to Shizuo’s ears and his face went a barely noticeable shade darker. “I’m… well, I haven’t done _that,_ which you probably already know because you fucking know everything. It’s… I’m not prude or anything, but I don’t want to do that yet…”

 

Shizuo looked at his feet, completely missing the shocked face of the man he claimed to hate for so long. Izaya had known Shizuo was a virgin, but he’d incorrectly assumed that he’d have to fend him off. Shizuo was and is a monster, which makes him animalistic and dangerous. It’s something Izaya both hated and found himself attracted to, and he was having a hard time believing Shizuo would want to wait.  
  
“Would you say something?” Shizuo grumbled, feeling self-conscious and embarrassed.  
  
“Why do you want to wait?” Even though the usual jeer was absent from his voice, he still watched as Shizuo stiffened.  
  
“I just… It’s hard to explain, but…” Shizuo stubbed out his cigarette and rubbed his forehead, “I want to make sure I’m ready. If I’m not ready and in control, I might literally fuck you to death.”  
  
Izaya nodded in understanding but couldn’t help disagreeing. So far, each and every touch between them (except for when they’re fighting) was surprisingly gentle. Though, he knew he wouldn’t be able to change the blonde’s mind and he sure as hell didn’t want to be the first one to admit they want to go that far.  
  
“I accept your conditions,” Izaya said to an already happier looking Shizuo, “But I have a few of my own.”  
  


 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Izaya was sitting in a small café not too far from the hotel. He’d chosen a small corner in the back where he wasn’t easily seen, but could still easily observe his surroundings. The black coffee he’d ordered arrived and he thanked the waitress with a smile that never let on that he was arguing with himself again.

 

He was weak, he told himself. He’d already promised himself that he wouldn’t look at any information on Ikebukuro, but he was so sorely tempted to at least check his messages. On the way to the café, he’d stopped and bought another phone. All he had to do was put his sim card inside and he’d be able to check up on his precious humans…  
  
But if he did that, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from nudging them down the paths he chose for them and that would ruin the whole point of his holiday. How could Ikebukuro learn it’s lesson if its guardians call home to see how it is?  
  
Although, if he stayed away from the chat room and only checked his texts… Surely it wouldn’t hurt!  
  
He took a sip of his coffee before taking the sim out of his waterlogged phone and placing it into the new one. With a press of a button, his phone came to life and he waited patiently for it to fully load before rushing into his settings and making sure anyone who called him would be directed to voicemail immediately.  
  
Over the next two minutes his phone vibrated constantly with the influx of texts and email notifications. Izaya couldn’t help but smile to himself, please that his humans had missed him so much. Once the notifications ceased he skimmed through his emails and upon seeing nothing more important than his holiday, decided to check his texts.  
  
He’d received around 58, mostly from clients and a series of unimportant and uninteresting people. His newer messages, however, caused his smile to widen and a malicious laugh to escape his lips.  
  
**Dotachin:** [ Yo. Call me when you get this, there’s a rumour floating around that you two have been arrested. ]

 

 **Mairu:** [ Iza-nii! I heard you snitched on Shizuo-san! Shame on you, now we’ll never get to meet Yuuhei-san! I hope you get skinned alive and burned in a bonfire! ]

 

**Kururi:** [ Bad. Die. ] (You’re a bad brother, I hope you die)

  
**Mikado:** Orihara-san? Are the rumours true?  
  
**Shinra:** Simon told me what happened. I won’t help you unless you promise not to destroy my house again!

  
  
There were many more messages but he stopped reading after these few. Chuckling to himself, he turned off the phone and slipped it into his pocket. ‘ _So we’ve been arrested and I’ve turned on Shizu-chan. How wonderful._ ’ He sipped some more of his coffee then decided to leave. ‘ _In that case, I’ll assume you don’t want any help._ ’  
  
He left the café and walked directly to a post box he’d past earlier, making sure to only post his postcard to Namie. It really was cruel of the Ikebukuro populace to think that he’d turn on Shizuo simply because of the police. It lacked finesse. Even though he hadn’t gone so far as to frame Shizuo for murder since they started ~~not trying to murder one another~~ dating, he still tormented him whenever he felt bored.  
  
Shizuo could take it, and just because he didn’t stab his beast to death didn’t mean that he couldn’t still play with him. Despite how insulting the rumour was, it did strike him as odd that this was the only rumour he’d seen. Usually, there’d be fake death announcements, people saying he’d been headhunted by foreign and domestic intelligence organisations, and, that one time, there’d even been a rumour that said he was pregnant with Shizuo’s child. Izaya shuddered at the memory of the last one.  
  
Shrugging it off and promising to think about it later, Izaya walked slowly back to the hotel only to spot a familiar figure slinking off by himself. ‘ _And you say I’m sneaky, Shizu-chan._ ’

 

Without a second thought, Izaya began to tail him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to say I love this chapter name. I'm so happy with myself, hahaha.
> 
> Thank you guys for reading! <3


	15. Otoro.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the past, rules are put into place.
> 
> In the present, Izaya continues to be a creepy stalker.

Shizuo hadn’t even dried his hair before leaving the hotel room. Whenever he had the urge to do something he always did it immediately. He searched the streets for the shop he was looking for, ignoring the feeling that he was being followed. It wasn’t as though he couldn’t defend himself, so it didn’t bother him too much.  
  
It only took around ten minutes for him to find the store he needed, and he was glad to see they hadn’t closed just yet. Walking in, he pulled out his wallet and checked how much cash he had on him before looking for something in his price range. He had decided to buy Izaya a replacement phone to tide him over until his began working again. He knew it wouldn’t be as high range as his flea would like, but it would be functional and that was enough.

 

He found a blue flip phone that looked like it would do the trick and gestured to the salesperson, asking them if he could purchase it.  
  
“Would you like to purchase a charm for the phone as well? They’re 50% off with each phone purchase today.” The salesman said, a tired smile on his face.

 

“A charm?”

 

“They’re on the rack right here. You can attach them to your mobile.”  
  
“Oh, right.” Shizuo had a look at the rack, seeing many cutesy things he was sure the informant would detest. He frowned a bit as he looked, until he saw one very Izaya-like charm at the bottom. “I’ll take this one!”  
  
The salesman laughed a little at the choice, “An Otoro charm? I can’t say we’ve been able to sell many of those, so I’ll take another 10% off for you.”  
  
Shizuo beamed as he paid and watched the man place his purchase in a bag. He was proud of himself for finding something that was sure to make his flea frown less (Shizuo knew better than to expect Izaya to smile that easily). He almost skipped out of the store and began to make his way back to the hotel, still noticing a presence following him.

 

It was a good thing that he was in a good mood, or else he might have just gone chasing after whoever it was screaming bloody murder. Instead, he decided to try and trap the person first (he’d still kick their arse, though). He walked around in circles for a few blocks to confuse whoever it was, then stopped around a corner and peeked around. He’d wait until they were close enough then jump out and punch them to the next town. That way, he wouldn’t have to worry about silly things like guns.  
  
He didn’t have to wait long to see his stalker. He heard their careful footsteps first, then saw the body of a man in black walk cautiously around the opposite corner. _‘That shitty flea! He’s following me! What’s he up to this time?!’_

Shizuo swallowed an irritated growl and thought about his options. He could hide then jump out at Izaya and yell at him, but that wouldn’t be much fun and his flea really wasn’t pissing him off too much. In fact, he was more curious than angry at the whole thing, since Izaya only rarely became insecure enough to tail him (or worse, Izaya did have a track record for doing stupid things when it came to Shizuo).

 

He made his decision within seconds and pushed himself away from the wall, continuing his nonsense walk to nowhere. If Izaya wanted to follow him, he could follow him all night for all he cared. He grinned to himself for outsmarting his flea and kept walking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shinra had never been the sort of person to worry (or even care) about anyone other than Celty.  He’d wondered on occasion if that was what made him so successful an underground doctor. He could disassociate himself from his patients without even having to think about it, because he’d always been chasing after something that wasn’t human.

 

Perhaps that was why he was currently lounging in his apartment thinking about what he’d like to do to Celty when she got home, instead of thinking about his earlier conversation with Simon. Of course, it had bothered him momentarily. His two friends, or what he called his friends, could quite possibly be sitting in a jail cell somewhere and Shinra just _knew_ that information would upset Celty.

 

Which is exactly why he chose to ignore it and not tell her anything. Unfortunately, there was a chance that she already knew (as she received messages from the Dollars), but he’d already made up his mind to tell her everything was a huge misunderstanding. The two had done plenty to land themselves in jail, and unless they asked him nicely (or Celty did), he was content to let them stay there. After all, it would mean he’d have more one-on-one time with Celty that would no longer be interrupted by an agitated Shizuo texting her to talk or a pig-headed Izaya playing around with them.

 

Yes, the doctor might be cold but you could blame it on his undying love for a beautiful fairy.

 

Shinra let out a happy sigh as the images of the fairy in question flitted behind his eyelids. He could spend each and every minute of his life thinking about her and never get bored of it. ‘ _I wonder if she’d be interested in showering with me tonight…_ ’  
  
His inappropriate chain of thought was interrupted by the sound of his phone ringing. Cursing whoever was on the other end, he bounced off the sofa and answered in a too-polite voice.  
  
“Hello?”  
  
“ _Kishitani-sensei? I-I’m sorry to bother you…_ ”

 

“Is that you, Anri-chan? You aren’t a bother at all.” Shinra leaned on the counter, wondering if Anri was looking for Celty. “What can I do for you today?”  
  
“ _Um… I think I need a doctor. Mikado-kun… he’s been hurt and he won’t wake up…_ ”  
  
Shinra immediately grabbed his medical bag and keys, marching himself toward the front door “Alright Anri-chan, do you know if he’s still breathing?”  
  
“ _H-he is. There’s some blood though and I think they hit his head a few times… Sorry... I didn’t think I should move him._ ”  
  
“Don’t apologise, it’s alright. You did the right thing by calling me and keeping him still.” Shinra locked the door behind him, “Tell me where you are and I’ll come find you straight away.”  


 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 ** _The Morning After, Shizuo’s apartment_**  
  
  


 

 

 

 

“What are these conditions of yours?” Shizuo asked, trying to keep the nervousness and suspicion out of his voice. It honestly wouldn’t surprise him if Izaya had some ridiculous expectations and made him pick up a train or something.  
  
“I only have three conditions, but I may add more in the future should I choose.” Izaya took a small breath and crossed his legs. He wasn’t sure why he was doing this _thing_ with Shizuo, but he couldn’t deny that this _thing_ was happening whether they liked it or not.  
  
He watched as his beast nodded at him in agreement.  
  
“First of all, you cannot stop being a monster for I will not stop being a God, as you put it. I can only love humans, and I must love them all equally. Though it is mildly amusing to watch you struggle to raise yourself to their level, I must insist that you don’t.”  
  
“Right.” Shizuo rubbed his face to hide the small smile he couldn’t stop from forming, after that morning he could no longer be offended when Izaya called him a monster. ‘ _So you accept me as I am, right? That’s what you’re saying. I don’t have to change or hide anything and I can just be myself._ ’

 

“You’ve already said that you aren’t going to stop throwing a wrench into my plans and don’t expect me to stop my games, which is fine. However,” Izaya paused, ensuring that he was making eye contact with Shizuo, “No matter what happens, we don’t bring it up when we’re alone. You can chase me on the street and _try_ to catch or stop me, but I don’t want to worry about that on dates. If I am here or you visit me, that stays outside.”  
  
“…” Shizuo needed to think about this a little. He didn’t have a solid grasp on his anger at the best of times, and he wasn’t sure he’d be able to stop himself from murdering his flea if he did something especially horrible.  
  
“Shizu-chan?”  
  
“I don’t know that I can do that so I can’t promise anything. So… what if we compromised a bit?”  
  
“How so?”  
  
“Well… if I need to talk to you about your shittiness, I’ll text you or something a few minutes before I get to your place.”  
  
“Will you have the presence of mind to do that?” There was no sarcasm or taunting in the question.  
  
“Yeah… Yeah, I think I will if it’s you.” Shizuo said softly, “But you can’t just run off! It’s not a head start or anything!”  
  
Izaya chuckled, “So I should just wait for you to come and beat me?”  
  
Shizuo thought for a moment, then nodded his head. “Yeah.”  
  
Izaya let out an exaggerated sigh, “Well, I suppose that since you’ve promised not to kill me that is acceptable.”  


“I’ll still break your legs.”  
  
“I don’t doubt you for a moment, Shizu-chan. Just make sure you look after me afterward.”  
  
“Tch,” Shizuo crossed his arms but didn’t look annoyed in the least, “What’s the third one then?”  
  
“Ah yes, the most important one! This is the _most_ important and I expect you to take it seriously.” Izaya moved in his seat so that his body face the blonde’s, “There are to be no ridiculous nicknames, n-”  
  
“Does that mean you’ll finally stop calling me ‘Shizu-chan’?” the blonde interrupted hopefully.  
  
“Don’t be stupid. Anyway, as I was sa-”  
  
“That’s a stupid nickname!”  
  
“What else do you want me to call you?”  
  
“Shizuo!” the debt collector raised his voice slightly, “Call my name properly!”  
  
“No. Shizu-chan is Shizu-chan.” The brunette watched his beasts face started to contort, one of the first signs of rage, “Fine. If it means that much to you, I’ll call you by your _other_ name but I’ll only do it five times. Once those five times are gone, they’re gone forever. Alright?”  
  
Shizuo stared at his flea and had a feeling that this was going to be the best he’d get. “Fine. But! You can’t use ‘em up on your own. It only counts if I ask, right?”  
  
“Fine.” Izaya was annoyed at the loophole closing, having planned on just getting it out of the way immediately. “Anyway, as I was saying before. No nicknames or pet names, no affection in public, and nothing ridiculous like that. In fact, we should keep the romance and ‘loving gestures’ out of this as much as possible.”  
  
“Whatever.” It was obvious to both the men that Shizuo was planning on breaking this rule often.  
  
“I will slit your throat if you embarrass me in public again, Shizu-chan.”  
  
“You started it!”  
  
“I don’t see how that’s at all relevant.” Izaya’s phone beeped, stalling the conversation. “Do you mind?”  
  
Shizuo shrugged and lit another cigarette. He didn’t care at all, but had to admit it felt a little nice to be asked.  
  
Izaya pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked his messages. It was a message from the Dollars requesting information on the Monster of Ikebukuro and the Informant of Shinjuku. The brunette frowned as he saw the contents of the thread, which included photos of them from earlier that morning (to be more specific, a smiling Shizuo and a caught Izaya), along with snippets of their conversation and videos from the night prior.  
  
“Shizu-chan…”  
  
“What?”  
  
“We’re going to have a problem with our reputations, I suspect.”  
  
Shizuo laughed, “You can’t seriously give a shit about that stuff.”  
  
“Oh? Why wouldn’t I?” He pocketed the phone, thinking better than to show his beast and send him into a frenzy, “Our reputations protect us from many people. It makes my life easier to have my clients know in advance to not cross me, and I suspect it cuts down on the amount of fights you’d be likely to get caught in.”  
  
The debt collector nodded. His job alone had the potential for violence, and his reputation often ensured that it was avoided. He didn’t need people thinking he’d gone soft.  
  
“Let’s keep this between us then.” He suggested, taking another drag. “No one’ll think we’ve gone soft if we’re not together, right?”  
  
Izaya felt a pang of… something. He couldn’t identify it, but it was an unpleasant sensation. He agreed with his beast as it was the logical thing to do, and decided to think on the feeling later.

 

Shizuo, had a feeling of dread wash over him that was usually associated with his flea. He eyed him warily, and hoped it was just an old habit.  


 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

The alleyway was dark, with only a few of the remaining rays of light managing to find their way around the tall buildings that surrounded them. An unconscious and severely beaten Mikado lay at Anri’s feet whilst she kept an eye on his now powerless attackers. Anri was nervous, unsure of what to do whilst she waited for Shinra to find them. She didn’t think she could move Mikado, but she couldn’t move the attackers either.  
  
“I heard they’ve got a new shipment in at Animate! Let’s go there!”  
  
“Didn’t we just go there yesterday?”  
  
“Aww, come on Dotachin!”  
  
Anri looked toward the mouth of the alleyway in time to spot three familiar faces walking past.   
  
“H-HEY!” She called out, still not wanting to walk away from her friend.  
  
The trio turned when they heard her voice.  
  
“Anri-chan!” Erika called out happily.  
  
“Oooh, the Flame Haze is here!” Walker added excitedly, “Why are you hiding in an alley?”  
  
“Oh, um…” Anri looked at the six bodies surrounding her, “I saw Mikado-kun and um…”  
  
Kadota nudged a body with his foot. “Things really are becoming more violent. It’s a good thing you came when you did. Is Ryuugamine okay?”  
  
Erika bent over to take a look at his face, “Mikapon is out cold.”

 

“I’ve called Kishitani-sensei,” Anri said softly, “He said he’d be here soon.”  
  
“We shouldn’t move him then.” Kadota said, “But we should probably do something about these guys.”  
  
Walker and Kadota began dragging the bodies further down the alleyway and piling them on top of one another while Erika waited with Anri. By the time they’d finished, Shinra was making his way down the alleyway.  
  
“Ah, you’re all here! Hmm, aren’t you missing someone?”  
  
“Togusa had to go away for a few days.” Kadota replied. He really did miss Togusa when it was just him and the two otakus.  
  
Shinra nodded and put his bag down once he made it to Mikado and began to inspect his wounds. “The good news is that he doesn’t seem to be bleeding too much. The head injury is most likely a concussion, but I’m a bit worried about his right wrist and shoulder, and his left leg.” He pulled a few things out of his bag and made a makeshift splint, “Do you think you guys could help carry him to my house? We aren’t far away and I’d hate to trouble Celty.”  
  
“Sure.”  
  
The group watched as Shinra worked quickly to prepare Mikado. Once he was finished, Kadota looped his arms under Mikado’s shoulders whilst Walker and Anri took his legs, and they steadily picked him up and began the walk to the doctor’s apartment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

Izaya was annoyed. He’d been following his monster ever since he left the hotel, and aside from entering an electronics store and picking up a bag of something, he appeared to be walking around aimlessly. Izaya had considered giving up and going back to the hotel, but Shizuo didn’t appear to be lost. No, his movements were deliberate and he was acting somewhat strangely. It was almost as if he knew he was being followed.  
  
The informant stifled a laugh at the thought. Shizuo probably wouldn’t notice anything of the sort and even if he had, he’d immediately confront his stalker. He wasn’t the sort of person to walk anywhere without a purpose, and he was far too animalistic to avoid confrontation. His beast relied on his instincts far too much.  
  
Instincts… Of course he knew he was being followed, and he must have guessed it was Izaya tailing him. There was nothing Shizuo loved more than annoying him, after all. ‘ _Shizu-chan, you idiot! Don’t underestimate me!_ ’  
  
Izaya thought of his plan of attack within a few seconds. He turned away from Shizuo and walked back around the corner they’d just rounded. He sprinted, as quietly as possible, around the block ahead of where Shizuo was headed and pulled himself up the exposed drain pipe until he was around two metres off the ground. Pressing himself against the building, he waited for his chance to strike.  
  
It didn’t take long before he heard footsteps and he shifted slightly to position himself, preparing to jump.

 

Shizuo had noticed when Izaya stopped tailing him, though he couldn’t explain why he knew. He smiled broadly knowing just how pissed off his flea would be with walking around for no reason. He also knew that Izaya was very clever and had most likely worked out that Shizuo was doing this deliberately, so he prepared himself just in case. He wasn’t sure when it would happen, but Izaya would definitely seek revenge.  
  
The idea alone put a bounce in the blonde’s step and he thought that he might head back to the hotel. It’d really frustrate Izaya if he beat him there, so he quickened his pace. He decided to turn down the next left then sprint the distance back.  
  
“SHIZU-CHAN!”  
  
Shizuo didn’t even have time to react before something flew at him from above, and if he hadn’t heard that _annoying_ nickname the human-shaped weight covering his head and shoulders would have been thrown into a building.  
  
He stopped walking and took a breath before very calmly speaking to the man on top of him. “Flea, I could have had a smoke and burned you, you know?”  
  
“You didn’t even stumble.” Izaya replied, and Shizuo could hear the pout in his voice.  
  
“Why would I? You’re too fucking skinny.”  
  
Izaya frowned and pushed himself down, sliding slowly down his beast’s head and chest. Shizuo looked down at him once his feet met the ground, snickering at the disappointed look on the brunettes face.  
  
“Don’t do that shit. I really could’ve hurt you if you pissed me off.”  
  
“Please don’t insult my intelligence, you knew it was me.” The informant replied in an annoyed voice, not moving away. “What’s in the bag?”  
  
“None of ya’ business.”  
  
Izaya tried to grab the bag but Shizuo held it above his head. Izaya almost jumped for it but decided not to give Shizuo the satisfaction. Instead, he glared at his beast before crossing his arms and walking off. “It’s probably something cheap and irrelevant anyhow.”  
  
Shizuo laughed and jogged to catch up. “Yeah. But it’s something cheap for you, but if you don’t want it…”  
  
“Me?”  That hypnotising smile appeared and Shizuo stopped walking and just stared, holding out the bag. Izaya took it, not noticing the affect he was having on the blonde and opened it eagerly. “A phone?”  
  
“Uh, yeah.” Shizuo replied, back in reality “I know it pisses you off when you don’t have one so you can use this ‘til the other one works again.”  
  
“I see.” Izaya played with it in fingers “Thank you.”  
  
Shizuo studied his face, unsure as to why he look conflicted. “Oh, and I got this for it as well.” He reached into the bag and pulled out the small charm and handed it to the brunette.  
  
It took a moment for Izaya to understand what he was seeing, bursting into laughter when he did. “It’s Otoro! Otoro!”  
  
Shizuo smiled, proud of himself for picking out a gift that Izaya enjoyed so much. “Real thing is too expensive.”  
  
Izaya stopped his laughing and looked at the blonde in front of him. “Thank you, _Shizuo._ ” He soaked in the look of shock and embarrassment on his beasts face. “Come on, let’s go back.”  
  
Shizuo didn’t say anything and just followed him in silence. Shizuo never blushed, but the way Izaya said his name made it sound so dirty and intimate and sexy that his face (and entire body) felt like it was on fire. It made him secretly glad that his flea called him by that stupid nickname all the time, or else he wouldn’t be able to function.

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mikado still hadn’t woken up and was resting in the spare room of Shinra’s apartment. Shinra had treated his injuries and he’d somehow managed to remain unconscious for the duration. It was an impressive achievement, considering that he’d had a cast put on his fractured wrist and broken leg, and had his dislocated shoulder popped back into place.  
  
Anri had decided to stay by his side in case he woke up, and Erika and Walker had decided to stay with Anri. They spoke quietly about many different things, trying to keep her mind off Mikado’s condition. Anri was glad for the distraction, despite how awkward the interaction might have looked.  
  
In the kitchen, Shinra was preparing tea for his guests and speaking with Kadota about the recent events.  
  
“You really shouldn’t worry so much about those idiots,” Shinra said, referring to his two high school friends, “They probably should be jailed for half of what they do, but they always manage to worm their way out of it.”  
  
Kadota chuckled “You aren’t wrong. It really is surprising that no one has tried to lock them away. Do you think Izaya would really screw over Shizuo again?”  
  
“They probably haven’t even been arrested, I’m sure they would have contacted someone by now if they needed help. Surprisingly, I’m also sure that Izaya wouldn’t set Shizuo up now. Even if they weren’t together, he’d want to do it in Ikebukuro.” The doctor glanced at the spare room, “It does look as though we have bigger things to worry about though.”  
  
“There is more violence out on the street now that Shizuo and Izaya aren’t around. There seems to be more gang activity in general, actually.”  
  
“That isn’t entirely unexpected.” Shinra poured the tea into the cups, “For all the trouble they cause, Izaya and Shizuo do act as a deterrent.”  
  
“How do you mean?”  
  
“Well, no one wants to make Shizuo angry for starters, and Izaya has tricked quite a few gangs into going after him over the years.” He placed the teapot on the counter and started moving the cups onto a serving tray, “I actually think people are more afraid of those two now they’re in a relationship than when they were rivals.”  
  
Kadota took his cup and sipped before speaking, “Why more afraid now? If anything you’d think people would be less afraid of them.”  
  
“Ah, well, that was the case at first I think, until they started being dragged into their arguments and pettiness.”  
  
“Izaya does still send them after Shizuo, so I’ve heard.” Kadota shook his head as if amused, “I really don’t understand those two. I wonder if they even care about each other.”  
  
“They definitely care, but they’re both… well, you know what I mean. I think it’s their way of being affectionate.” The doctor sighed at a memory, “If Izaya had stuck to only sending them after Shizuo instead of using them to make passive-aggressive statements, those gangs probably wouldn’t be so worried about them.”  
  
“Huh?”  
  
“Ah, it’s nothing.” He said, picking up the tray. “I’m sure everything will clear up once they come back. In fact, I’m sure that Izaya is probably laughing about this as we speak.”

  
Shinra walked off with the tray, leaving a slightly confused Kadota to think about his insane high school friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is shorter than usual and I don't think a lot happened /: But! Never fear, for the next chapter will be infinitely better (I hope)!
> 
> Thank you for reading! :D


	16. Boredom.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the past, Shizuo is attacked by a toaster.
> 
> In the present, Mikado wakes up.

**_A year and three months earlier_ **

****

****

****

****

****

****

Shizuo couldn’t wait to get home.  He would have given almost anything to stay in bed all day as sleep had done little to cure him of his exhaustion. Physically he was fine, but mentally he was barely lucid. It took everything he had to deny the relationship between himself and his flea in public, which is why he’d sworn Tom and the few others that knew the truth to secrecy.

 

It wasn’t that he was forced to treat Izaya that differently than he would like, in fact, he still found great joy in throwing heavy objects at the brunette and chasing him around whenever he dared to step into Ikebukuro. The only real difference was that he had to hide his happy expression behind one of anger, to stop himself wincing whenever a too-heavy-to-be-thrown projectile flew a little too close to that brunette hair, and to stop from yelling out the things he definitely knew would irritate the informant the most.

 

Things like “I’ll kill you!” and “You’re a dead man!” were now lies and Shizuo resented himself for spreading them. They’d never affected his flea before and they certainly didn’t now, but the insults that Shizuo received were anything but lies. Those insults made his blood boil and his face hot with the frustration that came along with knowing that it would just be _so easy_ for him to say something equally as embarrassing or painful. He could yell about how his flea makes weird noises when he sleeps, or that he looks cuter with bed hair.  
  
Those seemingly innocent things would devastate and immobilise that bastard, but he can’t say a word lest others realise that their relationship is more than an old rumour. It’s safer this way, Shizuo told himself. It’s safer for the idiots who’d think they could attack two of Ikebukuro’s strongest, and safer for that bastard, shitty flea who thinks he’s invincible.

 

Shizuo exhaled deeply and fumbled for his keys. He’d been on autopilot the entire way home, not bothering to pick up dinner on the way. ‘ _Probably have ramen or something…_ ’ He jammed the key into the door and rotated, pushing open the door tiredly. It wasn’t until he’d closed it behind him and toed off his shoes that he noticed what awaited him in his lounge room.

 

He flicked the lights on to get a better look and saw the shit-eating grins of twelve idiots with a death wish looking back at him, surrounding a bruised and unconscious flea who was sitting on a chair. Ignoring them, he lit up a cigarette and bent down to put his shoes back on. He did not have the energy for this shit today, and they could kill that parasite for all he cared.  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

**  


 

 

 

 

 

  
“Not good enough for you?” Shizuo half-mumbled. Izaya had been staring at the new phone for some time and it was pissing him off.  
  
“Hmm? Oh, well don’t people always say it’s the thought that counts? It’s something I’ve been forced to remember when receiving gifts from you.”  
  
“Shoulda given you a bomb then.”

“Because I make you explode with happiness?”  
  
“Tch.” Shizuo folded his arms and pushed his back into the headboard. “Even if it’s not as fancy, I figured you’d at least try to use it.”  
  
“Didn’t I tell you that you had me to yourself for the whole week, Shizu-chan?” Izaya sang, moving himself away from the phone and toward the mini-fridge.  
  
“Yeah, and it’s creepy. It’s like you’re up to something.”  
  
“How could I possibly be up to anything? We’re so far away from Ikebukuro and, as you’ve seen, I haven’t communicated with anyone.” Izaya plucked out four travel-sized bottles of what he assumed was whiskey and closed the fridge, turning to face the blonde. “Though I’m flattered that you think so highly of my abilities.”  
  
“Don’t be. I just know when you’re doing _something_ you shouldn’t. You get that smug fucking smile on your face. And what’s with the booze?”  
  
“We’re on holiday!”  
  
“So?”  
  
“So, I’d like to enjoy myself if it’s all the same with you.” He downed one bottle quickly, hiding the shudder that it caused. He never did like straight spirits, but if it helped to distract them both from his schemes then it couldn’t be a bad thing. “Why don’t you join me?”  
  
“No.”  
  
Izaya threw one of the small bottles at him anyway. “But you get so _cute_ when you drink.”  
  
“No I don’t, idiot.” He pushed the bottle off the bed and himself off the headboard, stretching himself out on his back. “And you always act like you’re so tough when you’re drunk. Remember what happened last time?”  
  
Izaya pouted and drank from another bottle, hoping Shizuo would drop the topic. Just thinking about it made his muscles ache with phantom pain.  
  
Shizuo laughed, obviously remembering the incident in question. “Are you saying you _don’t_ remember trying to lift a vending machine? Fucking idiot.”  
  
“You say that like it’s impossible, and yet _you_ do it almost daily!”  
  
“You’re not me, Flea. Besides, with those skinny arms I’m surprised you can lift a newspaper.”  
  
“I am _not_ weak, Shizu-chan.” He jumped on the bed, landing on his knees. “I did pull out that stop sign once, remember?”  
  
“Oh yeah,” Shizuo rubbed his chin in thought “Wasn’t that already loose though? Plus, it doesn’t count since you had to use both hands to do it.”  
  
“It counts!” The contents of the third bottle disappeared and Izaya reached over the bed to pick up the forth from its place on the floor. “Come on, Shizu-chan. Just have one.”  
  
“I hate that shit. Tastes awful.”  
  
“Don’t taste it then, just swallow it.” Izaya unscrewed the lid and held out the bottle. “You’re quite good at swallowing, after all.”  
  
Shizuo frowned but took the bottle anyway. A part of him expected poison, but that just made him smile. It was never nice to be the only dangerous person in the room, and having a psychopath for a boyfriend always made him feel normal. “Fine.”  
  
Izaya watched as the blonde drank from the bottle, making an incredibly disgusted face.  Izaya giggled and crawled up his beast, stopping only when his hips rested on the blondes.

 

“I wonder if that’s enough to make you act all cute?”  
  
“If it isn’t, are you going to try and throw the bed off the balcony?” Shizuo moved his hands to Izaya’s hips, palms sitting on his pants and fingers softly playing with bare skin underneath his shirt.

 

Izaya leaned his face down until his breath was warming the lips of his monster. “I can think of a much better use for my energy, actually.”  
  
They stayed like that, neither wanting to give in first and bridge the gap. Shizuo licked his lips slightly, careful to make sure his tongue didn’t brush Izaya at all. “Say it.”  
  
“Say what?” the brunette asked, already knowing the answer. He ghosted his lips across the blonde’s cheek, stopping only once he reached an ear lobe to nibble.  
  
“My name. I’ve still got three left.” Shizuo’s voice was barely above a whisper, husky and deep. “Say my name, Izaya.”  
  
Izaya snickered and the sound raced like electricity throughout the blonde. Releasing the lobe, he moved his lips up a little higher and licked the shell of Shizuo’s ear before whispering-  
  
“ _Shizuo._ ”  
  
Izaya had no time to think about himself being flipped onto his back, or the passionate marks being left on his neck. He couldn’t think about anything and just allowed himself to melt.  
  
  


 

 

 

 

**

****

****

****

****

****

****

 

Mikado awoke to the sounds of hushed voices and the feeling that his head was slowly being crushed. It took him a moment to remember how to open his eyes, which he regretted almost instantly. His entire body was aching and stiff and he couldn’t stop himself from groaning.  
  
“Mikado-kun?” A worried voice whispered, “Mikado-kun! Don’t move so much!”  
  
He dragged his eyes away from the ceiling and toward the bespectacled girl beside him.  
  
“S-Sonahara-san?” His mouth was dry and he had trouble speaking, but seeing her made him almost forget the pain he was experiencing.  
  
He heard the voices of two others calling out for someone but he couldn’t pay much attention to them. He was overloaded by sensations of pain, relief, and the warmth of the hand that held his. It was as if the two teenagers had the same thought, because Anri quickly released his hand, a red blush dusting her cheeks.  
  
“Mikado-kun! You’re awake!” the underground doctor said cheerfully as he entered the room “How are you feeling?”  
  
“Kishitani-san?” Mikado attempted to clear his throat, “Um… sore and… thirsty.”  
  
The doctor hummed at the answer, before asking Anri to fetch a glass of water. “Let’s sit you up.”

  
Anri returned with a glass of water and Mikado took it gratefully, holding it with shaking hand and hungrily drinking it down. When he finished, he looked around the room and noticed three familiar faces by the door.  
  
“Welcome back to the land of the living, Mikado-kun!” the blonde spoke.  
  
“Th-thanks…”  
  
“What happened?” Kadota asked, his arms folded and a look of concern on his face.

  
Mikado squirmed a little, not sure whether or not to share. It wasn’t due to lack of trust, but instead a misplaced sense of responsibility. Luckily, he was cut off by Shinra before he could answer.  
  
“I need to check Mikado-kun’s injuries, so the questions will have to be saved for later.” He took hold of his pulse and looked at his watch “Everyone should leave the room for now.”

 

Mikado watched as Anri gave him a small smile and excused herself, whilst the two otakus were shoved forcefully from the room by Kadota. Sighing, he felt himself relax a little even as Shinra carefully prodded his head and checked his casts.  
  
“Mikado-kun,” he spoke quietly. “What happened?”  
  
“Uh…”  
  
Shinra, having finished the exam, took a seat by the bed. “I know that you don’t feel like sharing, but you need to tell me what happened.”  
  
Mikado looked at his hands, weighing up the pros and cons. He was sure he could trust anyone that Celty did, but that didn’t make this any easier. “I’m not really sure what happened…”  
  
“Did they say anything to you?” Shinra asked, quietly studying the boy’s features. “Mikado-kun, I’ll need to you tell me.”  
  
Mikado shook his head slowly. “No… No they didn’t.”

  
“You’re a terrible liar, Mikado-kun.”  
  
“...”  
  
Shinra rubbed his forehead. He had a feeling that he knew exactly what had happened and he was already irritated by it. Celty was going to be worried when she found out about Mikado and the potential for more violence that the pair of idiots caused simply by leaving the city. “Well, I can’t make you tell me anything about it. Can you at least tell me if this might happen again?”  
  
Shinra took note of the teens body language as he answered, noticing the clenched fists and the way he shifted. “I don’t think so. I-It must have just been a random thing?”  
  
“If you say so. I’ll let Anri-chan back in.” Shinra rose from his seat and made his way to the door, “She’s been with you the entire time, you know.” Shinra chuckled at the blushing teenager as he left.

 

Mikado listened as the door clicked shut and exhaled. He didn’t enjoy lying to people, but he preferred it to putting others in danger. He looked around the room and saw his phone lying on the table beside the bed and, with great effort, managed to reach over and grasp it with his fingers.

 

His thumbs danced across the keypad and he sent two messages. When he heard the all the phones on the other side of the wall ring out, he quickly shoved his under a pillow. Closing his eyes, he promised himself that he would protect those closest to him no matter what.

 

  


 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_A year and four months earlier_ **

****

****

****

****

****

****

Izaya was not sulking, pouting, or feeling insecure. He was bored, which was a completely different thing altogether. It was acceptable to be bored, and useless to feel any of those other pesky emotions.  
  
He was watching the people below him with little interest, the bright orange of the sunset making its way into his office and making it look as though everything he’d worked for was on fire. He was bored, which is why his mind had travelled to an irritating place.

 

Izaya and his monster had been ~~dating~~ , ~~in a relationship~~ , ~~lovers~~ , ~~in a ceasefire~~ , not as active in their rivalry for around one month and had somehow managed to keep their activities mostly secret. They occasionally went on dates together, but these consisted of meeting separately at Russia Sushi, sitting at different tables (near each other but not with each other) and arguing with each other _just enough_ for Simon to intervene and force them to sit together and ‘get along’.  Afterward, they’d separately walk to Shizuo’s apartment.

 

They had been careful, making sure that no one knew and their reputations had stayed intact. ‘ _It looks as though Shizu-chan’s plan worked…_ ’ Izaya scoffed at himself, unable to believe he’d thought such a thing. _‘Why would that animal worry about reputations anyway? He’s never cared about that sort of thing in the past. He must have an ulterior motive.’_

No, that’s impossible. His beast wasn’t capable of thinking that deeply or of tricking him. ‘ _Maybe he just doesn’t want anyone to know about you._ ’ Shizuo _is_ an animal, and all animals want to do is eat, sleep, fuck, and fight. Izaya often spent time doing three of those things with Shizuo, but one of them seemed to never come up. ‘ _If he’s not getting it from you, then maybe he’s getting it from somewhere else._ ’  
  
Izaya laughed, hard and loud and bitter. That was definitely impossible, because no human would want that, right? By the time he stopped laughing, he’d already come to a conclusion. Izaya was _not_ sulking, pouting, or feeling insecure. He was simply bored, and his actions were not at all driven by emotion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**[ Send me information on Heiwajima Shizuo and Orihara Izaya. ]**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_A year and three months earlier_ **

****

****

****

****

****

****

 “Oi! The fuck do ya think ya doin’, old man?” One idiot yelled out, confused. “Don’t think we dunno about you _faggots_!”  
  
Shizuo only paused for a moment, his hand on the door handle. ‘ _Don’t get mad, don’t get mad, don’t get mad…_ ’  
  
“Maybe they’re not really fuckin’?” another idiot mumbled, “Are you sure your girl told ya the truth?”  
  
“Yeah she’s always right,” another voice replied proudly.  
  
“You sure? Ya haven’t even fucked her yet…”  
  
Shizuo heard movement and guessed someone had just been punched and slowly turned, watching the scene out the corner of his eye as he picked up his keys.  
  
“Just because she ain’t put out yet don’t mean she won’t! Kanra will _definitely_ give it up!”  
  
Shizuo snorted as he watched the seemingly unconscious brunette twitch his lips. It wasn’t as if this hadn’t already realised what this was. Even if he were as unintelligent as his flea thought, this was the third time this month that something like this had happened. Tonight though, he was too tired to play along.

 

“Don’t leave a mess.” He grumbled to the suicidal group, turning his back to them as he opened the door. ‘ _Russia Sushi for dinner it is._ ’  
  
He was almost out the door. He’d been so close to leaving without throwing his couch through a window or punching one of those idiot teenagers through a wall and into the neighbour’s apartment. It pissed him off more that he’d let his anger take over than the fact that the toaster Kasuka gave him had hit him in the back of the head.  
  
He sighed in exasperation, but the noise came out as more of a growl than anything else. He turned back to face the invaders who now looked ready to soil themselves.  
  
“My brother gave me that toaster…” his tone didn’t give away his anger. If anything, he sounded as though he were making pleasant conversation. He stared at the broken brunette, the smug grin on his face causing his rage to sky rocket.  
  
It was over within seconds. One idiot tried to rush him and he’d simply picked him up and used him as a bat, swatting away three others as if they were nothing more than sheets of paper. He threw two more out a window, kicked one out the door whilst the others ran in the same direction. He looked around his now beaten apartment, pissed off at the damage.  
  
“You’re paying for all of this, Izaya- _kun._ ”  
  
“Don’t I always?” Izaya stood up on shaky feet and walked over to the blonde. Shizuo still had his back to him, unable to look at him for fear of exploding. Izaya wrapped his arms around his waist and let his monster take his weight.  
  
Shizuo sighed and closed his eyes. “You need to stop this shit.”  
  
“I’ve already told you I won’t stop my games for you, Shizu-chan.”  
  
“These aren’t games. This is passive-aggressive bullshit and you know it.” Shizuo brought his hands to his waist and covered the informants. “If you’ve got something to say, just fucking say it.”  
  
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”  
  
“Then leave.” Shizuo wiggled his way out of Izaya’s hold gently, to avoid causing any unnecessary injuries. He turned to face him, too drained to worry about any anger it might cause. “If you don’t want to tell me what crawled up your arse and died, just get the fuck out. I’m not a mind reader and I hate your games.”  
  
Izaya laughed, but it was painfully forced. “You throw me away so easily. One would think that a monster would at least attempt to keep those who can stand it’s presence around.”  
  
“The fuck are you talking about? Throwing you away? Don’t tell me you’re insecure.” Izaya’s face contorted for a split second and Shizuo knew he’d struck gold.  
  
“Ha! I never knew you had such a sense of humour!” Izaya laughed, stumbling toward the open door and over the unconscious bodies. “Either that or you’re more unevolved than I’d given you credit for.”  
  
“You don’t want any of the lovey-dovey bullshit. You’re the one who worries about reputations and shit like that as well. I can look after myself, but you’re the one who worries about going soft! The fact that I haven’t smashed your head into a wall should be enough for you. You don’t need to organise your own fucking kidnappings just to see if I’d rescue you, idiot!”  
  
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Izaya said, inspecting his nails. “And it’s quite obvious that you had no intention of rescuing me until someone threw a toaster.”  
  
“ _Three times!_ I’ve done it three times already, _Kanra_.”  
  
Izaya hesitated in his movement. “Such a peculiar pet name, perhaps you’d prefer it if I were a woman. It certainly would explain a lot.”  
  
“Maybe you’d prefer Nakura instead?” Shizuo groped his pockets for a lighter and a cigarette, trying to stay calm enough for conversation. “And what do you mean “it would explain a lot”?”  
  
“I don’t think I appreciate either pet name.” Izaya took shallow breaths and searched his memories for any clue that Shizuo knew his online identities. He never worked in front of him, so there was no way he’d seen him in action.  
  
“I’m not as stupid as you think, flea.”  
  
“How long?”  
  
“I’ve known for long enough.” Shizuo took another puff. Watching Izaya lose his control of a situation was more relaxing for him than the cigarettes would ever be. “And I’m not interested in anyone else, male or female. So stop saying that shit, it’s so needy.”  
  
Izaya’s eyes narrowed slightly before he bowed deeply. “I apologise, Shizu-chan. I just assumed that your lack of sexual prowess was due to your affections being directed elsewhere. Perhaps I was wrong, could it be that you’ve been neutered already?”  
  
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” The cigarette snapped and burned flesh. “Do you _want_ me to kill you? Because that could fucking happen!”  
  
“I think you overestimate yourself. Not that _I’m_ interested in _that_ with _you_.”  
  
“Who are you trying to convince, huh?!” Shizuo took the three long strides necessary to place himself in front of his flea. “You fucking want it more than I do!”  
  
“Want what? A protozoan drooling all over me and humping my leg like a dog? Don’t make me laugh!”  
  
“Fuckin’ flea!”  
  
Shizuo crashed his lips onto Izaya’s hard, the force hurting their teeth and splitting a lip. He wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him tightly, too tightly, to him and making it impossible for the brunette to breath. ‘ _If I can just scare him, if I can just make him understand._ ’  
  
But the informant smiled into the kiss, biting back and dragging fingernails down the blondes back and neck. He didn’t need to breathe, he didn’t need to be safe. Did Shizuo forget who he is? What he is?  
  
Forgetting his intention completely, Shizuo found himself absorbed in the sensation. His body took over, lifting his flea up and feeling muscular but thin legs wrap around his waist. He stepped over the three still-unmoving bodies on the floor while one hand gripped Izaya’s arse and the other explored what lay beneath his shirt.  
  
‘ _More, more, more, more, more!_ ’  
  
His eyes still closed and his attention focused entirely on the man clinging to him, moaning into his mouth, he ran them into a wall instead of moving down the hallway. Izaya squeezed his legs tighter, his nails tearing into skin and pulling blonde hair, mind entirely blank and being filled with nothing but lust and the desire for closeness.  
  
“W-wait.” Shizuo pulled away, a shocked look on his face as if he couldn’t believe he’d managed to stop himself.  
  
“I’m done waiting.” Izaya tried to pull his beasts head back toward him, settling for licking and sucking his neck when he was unable to do so. “You couldn’t hurt me when you wanted to, so I doubt you will now.”  
  
Shizuo fought himself, resisting the urge to grind himself against the man sandwiched between himself and the wall. “Izaya, we need to st-”  
  
“ _Shizuo._ ”  
  


 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_Isn’t that the leader of the Dollars?_ **

**_Why does he want to know about those two?_ **

**_Shizuo is one of us, do you think Orihara is a member as well?_ **

**_Maybe they need help?_ **

**_Or maybe he’s double-checking that they’re gone?_ **

**_Why would he do that?_ **

**_Who knows…_ **

**_I heard Shizuo is in the hospital anyway._ **

**_No way, I’ve seen him get hit by a truck._ **

**_Unless they shot him in the head._ **

**_They?_ **

**_The police._ **

**_I thought that Orihara shot him?_ **

**_Isn’t the leader of the Dollars ex-CIA? Maybe they’re being recruited?_ **

****

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shizuo, as always, fell asleep during the afterglow. Izaya admired him, the way his naked chest rose and fell slowly and how his long legs looked tangled in the white sheet that barely covered him. He slowly and quietly stood, ignoring the feeling of loss he experienced when Shizuo’s body no longer touched his.  
  
He needed a shower anyway, and he had things to do.  
  
Now that Shizuo had given him his blessing, the temptation to keep himself updated on the goings-on in Ikebukuro was overwhelming. He sat down at the desk and pulled out his still-broken phone, took out the simcard and placed it into the one he’d been gifted. As it powered on, he smiled a little at the Otoro charm.

 

It was such a simple and idiotic thing, but it reinforced the idea that he was doing the right thing. That city, those people… They didn’t appreciate either of them. He could understand why they refused to recognise his importance (Gods are never appreciated by humans until they’re needed), but it annoyed him that he became annoyed by their reluctance to accept Shizuo.  
  
He was a beast and a monster, the fighting doll, and though it was only natural to fear him he struggled to understand why humans didn’t appreciate him. Izaya knew that Shizuo hated violence, but he was always trying to protect those around him. ‘ _A beast with a social conscience_ ,’ he laughed to himself, delighted by the sheer ridiculousness of the thought.  
  
The phone in front of him vibrated, drawing his attention to it and the new messages he’d received. Something had happened, so it appeared, and the Dollars were gossiping away like schoolchildren. Ignoring it for now, he opened his most recent message.  
  
**[ Izaya-san, I know you are receiving these messages. I don’t know what you and Shizuo-san are doing, but it would be better for the both of you to stay away from Ikebukuro for a while. ]  
  
** Izaya cupped a hand over his mouth to muffle the sounds of his laughter. _‘Mikado, you’re just too much. Your misguided sense of responsibility and belief that you can change anything is incredible.’_ He exited out of the message, reading the earlier one asking for information on himself.  
  
_‘So this is what you intend to do.’_

“Flea, would you shut the fuck up?” A lazy and sleep heavy voice from behind spoke, startling the brunette.  
  
Izaya turned off the phone and faced the blonde, “Don’t tell me you’re jealous, Shizu-chan?” He dodged the pillow that was thrown at him and crawled back to his beasts side.  
  
“Can’t sleep properly if you’re not here, bastard.” The annoyed reply came, as strong arms wrapped around his waist. “Just go to sleep.”  
  
“I need a shower.”  
  
“Tomorrow... I’ll even help you.”  
  
“You’re insatiable, Shizu-chan.”  
  
“Fuck off.” Shizuo said, fingers threading through brunette hair, “What’s so funny anyway? You do something?”  
  
“I can promise you I’ve done absolutely nothing.”  
  
Shizuo made a disbelieving noise, but didn’t press any further. Everything could wait until they’d woken up.  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Anri-chan is just like Mikasa, isn’t she?” Walker said to Erika.  
  
“And Mikapon is just like Eren! Always needing to be saved.”

 

“Maybe he has a secret power?”  
  
“Would you two be quiet and try to stay in reality?” Kadota sighed, exasperated by his friends. “How is he, Shinra?”  
  
“He’ll recover soon enough if he doesn’t rush himself.” Shinra replied, “Kadota-kun, could you help me in the kitchen?”  
  
Taking the hint, the two left the lounge room unnoticed by the otaku duo.  
  
“What’s up?”  
  
“Mikado-kun didn’t tell me why he was attacked, but I have a feeling it has something to do with a certain pair of idiots going on vacation.”  
  
“Huh? Why would it have anything to do with that?”  
  
Shinra leaned on the counter, thinking about his answer “I can’t tell you everything, but I can say that it wouldn’t surprise me to find out that most people are aware that Mikado-kun is associated with those two.”  
  
“He has spoken to both of them in public…” Kadota thought aloud, “Do you think this was a message?”  
  
“Not a message for those Izaya--kun and Shizuo-kun, but for their friends, perhaps.” Shinra replied, “As I said before, they keep the city at bay. It’s possible that people who are angry at them for stopping their activities will take it out on those around them.”  
  
“Cowards.”  
  
“Even though I agree with you, I can say I understand their logic. I wouldn’t want to make either of them angry.”  
  
“Still… attacking weaker people in groups is disgusting.” Kadota glanced at his two friends in the lounge room, “I think we’ll be okay, but I’ll see if I can figure out what’s going on. The amount of activity is a bit strange, so there might be something more to it.”  
  
“My thoughts exactly, but if we can keep this between us I’d appreciate it. I don’t want to worry my lovely Celty anymore than necessary.”  
  
“She’ll probably figure it out by herself, you know.”  
  
“Ah, but by then I’ll have the answers for her!”  
  
Kadota shrugged knowing he’d be unable to change the doctor’s mind. He excused himself quickly, knowing that Shinra was likely to start talking incessantly about his lover and being in no mood to hear it.  
  
“Come on you two, let’s get out of here.” He called out, pulling out his phone. The duo bade farewell to the underground doctor and followed Kadota out of the apartment.  
  
“Who’re you calling, Dotachin?”  
  
“Togusa.” He replied, pulling his phone to his ear. “He needs to come home a bit early.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! Over 100 kudos! 
> 
> I would never have dreamed that this would become so popular! I've got those warm and fuzzy feelings inside <3 Thank you all so much for reading! :D
> 
> The next chapter will open on a new day, with some (hopefully) interesting things occurring. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and will enjoy the next one :D


	17. It's Not Six.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the past, Izaya is thrown.
> 
> In the present, nothing good is happening in Ikebukuro.

**_Eight days from now._ **

****

****

****

****

****

****

Sweat trickling down from bleached hair, stinging wide and afraid eyes. Heavy breathing, limbs screaming, muscles aching, and a stitch are threatening to slow him down. His body, the one he’d loathed for so long, finally had a chance to redeem itself by giving him the strength to move faster for longer. He’d already been sprinting as hard as he could for thirty minutes, and with his muscle strength, could always do more.

 

‘ _Run, run, run, run, run!_ ’  
  
Shizuo pays no attention to the sounds coming from his or Izaya’s phone, the constant barrage of messages and calls are of no interest to him. He’s searching through the blur surrounding him, ignoring the pain and focusing all his energy on not crushing the small Otoro charm in his fist and looking for-

 

“Shizuo!”   
  
He ignores the familiar voice and keeps moving. He doesn’t have time right now and he isn’t going to stop unless he is absolutely forced to. ‘ _Run, run, run, run, run! If you don’t run, you can’t kill, and you need to kill! Kill, kill, kiLL, KILL, KILL, KILLKILLKILLKILLKILLKILLKILL!_ ’

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shizuo woke far earlier than usual and helped himself to a shower after deciding that three hours staring at the sleeping brunette beside him could be misconstrued as creepy. He cursed himself for falling asleep on the train back to Miyazaki, just knowing that staying awake for the entire day was going to be a struggle and that Izaya would surely call him an old man if he dared to nap in the afternoon.  
  
The idea alone was enough to annoy him, and though his boyfriend had not yet committed such an offence he decided to get revenge a little early. Turning off the shower, he ignored the towel and walked out of the bathroom, leaving wet footprints behind him as he went.   
  
“Izaya- _kun,_ ” he said softly as he approached the bed “It’s time to wake up, bastard.”  
  
Seeing no movement, he pulled up the sheet covering the near-naked flea and slipped in behind him, making sure to wrap an arm and a leg around the sleeping body. If he refused to wake up to his name being called, perhaps the uncomfortable wetness would do the trick.  
  
Izaya mumbled incoherently at the contact but remained asleep nonetheless. It would be quite unsatisfying if the parasite stayed asleep until they dried, so Shizuo decided to try another approach. Izaya had never gotten out of the habit of trying to irritate Shizuo and, a few months prior, had attempted to even influence his dreams by whispering strange (and sometimes terrifying) things into the blonde’s ear as he slept.  
  
‘ _See how you like it, shitty fucking flea._ ’

 

“Izaya,” Shizuo whispered into the flea’s ear as he stroked his hair, “Izaya, there’s blood everywhere.”  
  
“Nngh,”  
  
“Izaya, Shizuo is bleeding.” He whispered again, unable to stop his smile.  
  
“I…zaya…”  
  
“Shizuo is _dying_ , Izaya.”  
  
“...aya…”  
  
Shizuo frowned. This wasn’t going as well as he thought. “No, Shizuo.”  
  
“Iza…ya”  
  
“Shizuo.”  
  
“Izaya…”  
  
“Shizuo!” The blonde half yelled. He held his breath, hoping he hadn’t woken up his sleeping boyfriend.  
  
“ _Izay-aaah._ ” The brunette moaned.  
  
“What the fuck, flea? Don’t have a sex dream about yourself! Dream about me, you idiot!”  
  
“Shi…zaya”  
  
“SHIZUO!” Shizuo yelled, no longer caring if he woke up the man who was so obviously in love with himself. “SHIZUO, SHIZUO, SHIZUO!”  
  
“You’re an idiot, Shizu-chan.” Izaya giggled. “You’re not meant to yell at people when they’re pretending to sleep.”  


“How long were you awake!?”  
  
“Since you got out of bed.” Izaya rolled over so he could face Shizuo, “I always wake up when you get out of bed.”  
  
“Tch.” Shizuo removed his arm from his flea’s waist, earning a soft sound of protest in return. “Why didn’t you say anything, bastard?”  
  
“I thought you were house trained.” Izaya snuggled closer to the blonde, burying his face in the still-wet crook of his neck, “Apparently I was wrong. We do have towels, Shizu-chan.”  
  
“I know that! I just wanted to piss you off!”  
  
“You only succeeded in making yourself and the bed all wet. You’re lucky you’re a monster or you’d catch a cold like that.”  
  
“A monster, huh?”

 

Izaya recognised the mischievous look on his beasts face a moment too late, being caught by deceptively strong arms before he could move away. “Let me go, Shizu-chan! It hurts!”  
  
“It doesn’t hurt me at all, actually.”  
  
“It hurts me, you protozoan!”  
  
“If only I were human, maybe I’d understand.” The blonde teased, squeezing a little tighter. “But I’m hungry and you were stupid enough to come into my lair.”  
  
“Let.Me.Go!”  
  
Shizuo laughed in response, digging his fingers into the brunette’s sides and gumming his neck. Izaya hated being trapped, hated being unable to remove himself, and above all, hated it whenever Shizuo would get too ‘cutesy’ with him.   
  
“I’m sorry, flea.” He mumbled into pale flesh, “I’m a beast, and you _did_ say that beasts only think about fucking, eating, fighting, and sleeping.”  
  
“Then go back to sleep!”  
  
“Nah, not tired.”  
  
“Well I’m not food and I can’t fight you right now, moron!” Izaya almost squealed, “So just let me go!”  
  
“I think there’s something on that list you missed.”  
  
“What, you’re going to rape me? I will _sue_ you!”  
  
“I doubt that,” Shizuo almost sung as he rubbed himself against his prey.  
  
“Morning wood doesn’t count as an erection!”  
  
“Yes it does.” Shizuo flipped Izaya onto his back and slowly started making his way down his body, leaving a wet trail of saliva behind. Izaya couldn’t seem to catch his breath, a mixture of annoyance and arousal battling for dominance inside him. “And I’m still _hungry_.”

 

“What are you doing? Shizu-chan! I haven’t even showered yet!”  
  
“Oh, shut up. You aren’t foolin’ anyone.” Shizuo grumbled as he hooked his thumbs inside the brunette’s pants, slowly bringing them down as he moved. “Just let me _eat_ , idiot.”  
  


 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shinra had forgotten about his house guests the moment he woke up, too preoccupied with the smell of Celty’s body wash on her side of the bed. It wasn’t until he heard the voices coming from the living room and smelled what could have been breakfast that he stopped himself from rolling around in the sheets and pulled his face out of the mattress.  
  
He padded out of his room in his pyjamas, showering taking a backseat to the doctor in him wanting to check on his patient.  
  
“Good morning,” he spoke in a voice far too cheerful for that hour of the day as he made his way over to the couch, “Did you both sleep well?”  
  
“Uh, yeah. Thanks again for letting me stay and for looking after me, Kishitani-san.” Mikado replied.  
  
“I hope we weren’t too much trouble…” Anri called out from the kitchen, currently slicing something to be put into the pan Celty was wielding.  
  
Celty paused momentarily to type something out for Anri, and the latter smiled a little and thanked the headless rider once again.  
  
“Did you experience much pain or discomfort, Mikado-kun?”   
  
“N-no,” Mikado lied, wincing visibly as the doctors fingers poked and prodded.  
  
“I think you should increase the dosage of your pain medication,” Shinra said, more to himself than to anyone else in the room. “It might make you a little tired, but it will reduce your pain significantly.”  
  
“No! I mean, uh, I’m alright. But thank you…” the teenager attempted to stand but only succeeded in wobbling, “I should really get home. But thank you for everything, really. How much do I owe you?”

  
“Let’s say it’s community service and you don’t owe me a thing, as long as you stay here so I can monitor you.” Shinra paced his hands on Mikado’s shoulders, applying only the smallest amount of pressure needed to force him to sit. “You should at least stay for breakfast.”  
  
“But I-”  
  
“You can use my laptop for your, uh, schoolwork. I’m assuming that is what you are worried about.”  
  
“Um, th-thanks.” Realising that he had no choice in the matter, Mikado reluctantly agreed.

 

“Breakfast is ready.” Anri announced, as shadows helped the two women bring the food to the table. Shinra helped Mikado walk over and take a seat, before seating himself at the head of the table. “I hope it’s okay… I’m not very good at cooking.”  
  
“If you had Celty helping you then I know it will taste like food from the heave- ow!”  
  
The teenagers giggled to themselves at the couple flirting and Anri helped to serve Mikado his share. It was omnirice that appeared to have some unorthodox ingredients in the mix, but neither of the males had any problem with shovelling it in.  
  
[ How is it? Is it okay? ]  
  
“It’s wonderful!” Shinra said whilst he chewed, “The richness of the flavours is pure genius! It’s a beautifully modern take on an old classic!”  
  
Mikado nodded along with Shinra’s review, not trusting himself to add anything. By the time Anri had served herself and took a bite, both the men had already eaten half of their plate.  
  
“Oh no!” She mumbled, spitting out the mouthful into a paper napkin, “It’s… I shouldn’t have added the peaches!”  
  
Celty cradled her helmet in her hands out of embarrassment. [ I’m so sorry! Please don’t eat anymore! ]  
  
“But it’s delicious!”  
  
“It’s… it’s not that bad.”

 

[ ‘That bad’? That means it’s at least a little bad!!! ]   
  
[ I’m so sorry Anri-chan! ]  
  
“No, no! That’s not what I…” Mikado watched helplessly as his and Anri’s plates were swept into a black ball. Shinra, however, had expected such a reaction and had moved his plate at just the right time before shovelling the remains into his mouth.  
  
“Please let me finish! I love it!”  
  
[ You’re lying! Go have an apple! ]  
  
Shinra shook his head vigorously, swallowing his massive bite. “That was delicious! I wish I could eat it every day!”  
  
 After Anri and Mikado had assured Celty that it wasn’t her fault and that they were quite satisfied with the meal, an awkward silence fell over the table. The teenagers both spoke at the same time, blushing furiously once they realised.  
  
“Sorry… I’ll just clear the table…”  
  
“I’ll help. It’s not fair that you have to tidy up after cooking, Sonohara-san.”  
  
The sounds of (recently released) plates and cutlery chimed throughout the room as the students moved everything to the kitchen, leaving the two adults in peace. Once they could hear the dishwasher being loaded, Celty typed a quick message.  
  
[ What happened to Mikado? ]

 

“It looks like it might have been an over-enthusiastic mugging.”

 

Black smoke danced as Celty typed. [ Have you heard from Shizuo? ]  
  
“Not yet, but I’m sure that he and Izaya are having fun destroying an entirely new place together.” He laughed. There was no way he was going to worry his fairy over such trivial things. “It wouldn’t surprise me at all if we heard from Izaya sometime soon. He really can’t leave Ikebukuro alone.”  
  
Celty nodded, but didn’t appear to be satisfied with the explanation. She had heard the rumours of his arrest, but Shinra had assured her that it was entirely fiction.   
  
“Um… I’m sorry to interrupt…” The two adults looked up at Mikado, neither realising that he’d made his way back from the kitchen, “I really hate to ask any more from you but I was hoping I’d be able to use your laptop?”  
  
“Of course, of course.” Shinra rose from his seat and started to walk toward the office “Just make sure you take your medication first, and don’t spend too long on there.”  
  
[ I’ll take Anri-chan home to collect some of her things. Is there anything you need? ]  
  
Mikado shook his head and thanked the dullahan. He had bigger things to worry about, after all.  


 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_A year and three months earlier_ **

****

****

****

****

****

****

Shizuo and Izaya stumbled down the hallway, cracking walls as they went. Once they made it to the bedroom, Izaya was pulled from his place around Shizuo’s waist and thrown onto the bed.   
  
“Izaya- _kun_ …” Shizuo moaned, eyes aflame with lust. He felt as though he could climax just _looking_ at his flea sprawled out on his bed, with his messy hair, dishevelled clothing and bright red marks trailing up his neck.  
  
Izaya wasted no time, pulling off his shirt and fumbling with his belt. He couldn’t think or get his body to follow orders, too caught up in the heat. Shizuo laughed in a way that Izaya had never heard before. It wasn’t mocking and it made every nerve in his body scream for contact.  
  
Shizuo sauntered toward the bed, one foot in front of the other not unlike a lion stalking a deer. For a man with absolutely no sexual experience, he looked as though he’d done this a thousand times before. Coupled with the knowledge that Izaya was the _only_ person that Shizuo had ever looked at _that way_ almost pushed him to the point of no return. Izaya made a mental note to never underestimate his beast’s instincts ever again.  
  
Izaya was still fumbling with his belt frantically by the time Shizuo had made it to the edge of the bed. He stared up at the blonde, barely recognising him. Everything about him was different but the same, as though a fire had been lit inside of him and was illuminating every one of his best features.   
  
“Rip it!” Izaya yelled, too frustrated and turned on to wait, “Rip off everything!”  
  
Shizuo chuckled again and Izaya’s eyes widened. “Shizu-chan?”  
  
Shizuo used his index finger to push Izaya back on the bed, bouncing with the force of the landing. He hooked his pinky around the belt buckle and snapped it apart easily, clearly a deliberate show of strength. Izaya laid on his back speechless, adoration and lust pumping throughout his veins. He should be afraid and run screaming, but he was too transfixed by Shizuo’s eyes to care.   
  
Shizuo pushed a knee between the informant’s legs gently and Izaya ground himself shamelessly against it, moans of pleasure escaping his lips. Shizuo leaned forward, placing one hand palm down on the mattress beside Izaya’s head and the other on the fly of his pants. He licked a small trail from his flea’s jawline to his collarbone, blowing cool air on it to distract Izaya from the loud rip that followed.  
  
“Hhnnghhh…”  
  
“…shit…”  
  
Both men snapped their heads around to the source of the noise, clearly coming from the next room. Remembering the would-be kidnappers they’d left unconscious, Shizuo’s eyes immediately lost that animalistic spark.  
  
“Fuck!”  
  
Before Izaya could reach out and stop him, Shizuo stormed out of the room and toward the gang members. The brunette attempted to come back to his senses despite the pained yells and thumps coming from the next room. It wasn’t long before soft footsteps slowly made their way back to the bedroom.  
  
“…I forgot about those bastards.”  
  
“Yeah…” Izaya replied, still very naked and very ready for Shizuo to finally sleep with him. Unfortunately, his monster seemed too busy looking at anything that wasn’t naked and dripping to notice.  
  
“Listen, Izaya…”  
  
“No. We’re doing this _now._ ”  
  
“Izaya, we need to talk about all of this.”  
  
“I don’t want to talk, _Shiz_ -” Izaya was promptly cut off when Shizuo’s hand covered his mouth.  
  
“Don’t you dare say my name right now!” He said, flustered and panicked. The mere memory of Izaya saying his name was almost enough to drive him over the edge. “You need to listen!”  
  
Izaya rolled his eyes and tried to talk, but Shizuo refused to remove his hand. He seemed to have forgotten just how naked his flea was, but no matter how much Izaya resisted he was made to sit still. Reluctantly, he stopped struggling and waited for whatever his unpredictable monster was going to say.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

“What did you do?”  
  
“I have no idea what you mean.” Izaya replied, eyes glued to his phone and voice giving away his amusement. “I’ve done nothing.”  
  
“Bullshit. You’re laughing.”  
  
“Shizu-chan, I’ve been without a phone for almost three days. What could I have possibly done?”  
  
“I dunno, but I’m sure you done it.” Shizuo walked out of the bathroom, skin glistening with sunscreen. “What’s going on in ‘bukuro?”  
  
“Nothing interesting, I’m sure.” Izaya snapped his phone shut and placed it into his suitcase. “Why use sunscreen if you smoke? You’re hardly protecting yourself from cancer.”  
  
Shizuo mumbled something under his breath and though Izaya couldn’t catch it, he was sure it was something about Kasuka or his parents always telling him to wear it. Picking up a beach towel and slipping on an unbuttoned (and far too patterned) shirt, the pair left the hotel room and made their way toward the beach.  
  
“You mess around with those Raira kids again?”  
  
“I resent that.”  
  
“Is that a yes?”  
  
“I’m telling you, I’ve done _nothing._ ”  
  
“Mm hmm…” Shizuo caught his flea’s hand with his, it was second nature by now anyway. His voice became hopeful with the next question. “Do somethin’ shitty to that Shini guy?”

 

“No, I haven’t done anything to Shiki.”  
  
“Oh…”  
  
“He’s just a client, you imbecile.”  
  
“Yeah, yeah… He just spends too much time with you.”  
  
“I’m an informant for the Awakusu-kai and he’s my contact. Of course I’m going to see him, but that doesn’t mean I’m fucking him.”  
  
Shizuo flinched a little, squeezing the bones in Izaya’s hand a little too hard. “Don’t say shit like that, I don’t like it.”  
  
“Whatever you say, master.”  
  
“Master?”  
  
“Well, you must be my master if you’re so intent on dictating my life.”  
  
Shizuo pulled his hand free and took a step back “What the fuck are you on about? Since when did you ever do anything I said, HUH?”  
  
“There’s never a good reason to dwell on the past. Let’s just set ourselves up and go for a swim.” Shizuo hadn’t even realised they’d made it to the beach and was glad to see that there weren’t too many people there already. “Shizu-chan, you set everything up here and I’ll be back with drinks.”  
  
“’course you run at the sign of any actual work.”  
  
Izaya smiled broadly on his way to the kiosk, not expecting the scene he encountered once he returned. Not only had Shizuo not set up the towels and umbrella, but it appeared that his work was being obstructed by a small group of women who seemed adamant on getting in his way.  
  
“Vultures!” Izaya cursed under his breath. Have these women no shame? Certainly Shizuo had mentioned that they had come together? Izaya plastered on the best smile he could manage (not to say it wasn’t convincing) as he strode over to the scene.  
  
“Ah yeah, I came with him.” Shizuo said gruffly, jabbing a thumb into Izaya’s direction.  
  
‘ _You oblivious fucking idiot, they don’t know we’re together!_ ’  
  
The women nodded in his direction but focused all their attentions on the tall, muscular blonde in front of them who was still trying to set up the area. Shizuo, ignorant to what was happening, was intent on keeping his anger in check. These women had been nothing but a nuisance since Izaya went to the kiosk and he really wanted them to move as he couldn’t set up the big beach umbrella whilst they were in the way and he really wanted to make sure his flea didn’t sizzle.   
  
 “Shizu-chan.” Izaya said loudly, cutting through the speculation about Shizuo’s shoe size, “I’m going for a walk. Take my shirt for me.”  
  
Shizuo grunted in response, still politely asking the women to move. The women couldn’t seem to grasp how important it was that the umbrella be set up exactly where they were standing (it was the spot his parasite chose), so he began to lift and gently toss them out of the way. Hard work done, he finally managed to set up the umbrella and lay down on a towel in the shade.  
  
It was only when he rolled over to grab the drink Izaya had given him that he noticed the informants white shirt in a pile on the sand. Alarm bells began to sound loudly in his head, urging adrenaline to course through his veins. Izaya, in Shizuo’s opinion, was the single most attractive person on the planet (the close second was Kasuka, but purely for aesthetics and not because he had some weird complex). Usually that would be fine, but his flea enjoyed playing far too many dangerous games.  


 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yagiri Namie is not the sort of woman you would describe as loyal, unless you were referring to her unnatural obsession with her brother. She was, however, pragmatic and adaptable to most any situation. This was, however, due solely to her lack of interest in anything non-incestuous.   
  
She did not like that _man_ she was forced to work for, despite the pay being incredibly high for the position (though, Namie would argue that no amount of money could justify having to endure the mindless ramblings she was forced to endure during what she described as her babysitting duties), and would gladly throw Orihara Izaya under a bus as soon as she found an alternate income to supplement both her lifestyle and her brothers spending money.  
  
Given her personal feelings, it would come as no surprise to any who knew her that when she arrived to find her workplace broken into and vandalised, she merely shrugged and gave herself the day off. Just because she worked there (for the time being) did not mean that she had any feelings on the matter.  
  
As she waited for the elevator to collect her, she sent a concise text to her employer explaining the situation. ‘ _He should be thankful that he at least gets this,_ ’ she thought to herself. Deciding to wait for further instructions (as she did not care to do anything that wasn’t an expressed order), she made her way into the elevator and opted to spend the day in her bathtub with her latest photograph of Seiji.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

**How can you be sure?**

 

**We’re the ones who did it!**

 

**Did what?**

 

**Trashed Orihara’s office!**

 

**Are you crazy?! He’ll kill you!**

 

**That’s already been taken care of, so I hear.**

 

**‘Taken care of?’**

 

**I think I heard that too… Orihara came back, right?**

 

**WHAT?!?!?!**

 

**Yeah, last night, but I heard some thugs got him.**

 

**How’d he die?**

 

**I won’t believe it until I see a body!**

 

**They just outnumbered him and beat him up, I think.**

 

**Are you sure? He was always getting away from Heiwajima.**

 

**It definitely happened, my friend saw it.**

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

Togusa had picked up Kadota early so they could discuss the situation and go looking for answers. They’d been driving around for almost an hour but had yet to have any luck getting information.  
  
“It’d be a lot easier if Izaya were here…” Togusa sighed. “Everyone keeps saying the same thing.”  
  
“We just need to find out who is pushing all these gangs to act. If Izaya were actually here, I’d honestly suspect it was him.”  
  
“What makes you so sure it isn’t? He’s done this before.”  
  
“I don’t think Shizuo would let him, honestly.” Kadota looked out the window, absentmindedly searching the streets for familiar faces that might be able to help. “I know he doesn’t seem that smart, but there’s no one else who can keep Izaya in line like him.”  
  
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. It’s really a wonder that they haven’t killed each other yet.” The driver paused, as if considering his next question. “What’re we going to do if they actually were arrested?”  
  
“Who knows? We’ll work it out if it comes to that.”  
  
The van became silent, both men worrying about what the future might hold.   
  
“It’s so quiet without those two, it feels like something is missing.”  
  
“You wouldn’t be saying that if it had just been you and them for the last week.” Kadota grumbled in return. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, having felt it vibrate with a new message.  
  
“Looks like the founder of the Dollars has sent out another message.”  
  
“What’s it say?”  
  
“…wow. Hey, get us over to Izaya’s office.”  
  
“What is it?”

 

“Apparently it’s been trashed.” Kadota replied, not taking his eyes off his phone, “The founder is asking for information again. He doesn’t sound happy.”  
  
“Maybe he’ll try to make an example of whoever did it?”  
  
“Let’s hope not. The first meeting was one thing, but doing that now might send us into a war with no enemy.”

  
  
  
  
  
  


**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_A year and two months earlier_ **

****

****

****

****

****

****

Orihara Izaya is a mastermind. Some people might call him a sociopath, a psychopath, or simply insane, but those people obviously had not studied psychology. Though he met _some_ of the criteria, he had decided that some was quite obviously not all and that he couldn’t be held by human standards anyway.  
  
Which was why it was perplexing to find himself suffering from what seemed like human emotions. At first, he had assumed that he was ill, but a quick trip to Shinra yielded no diagnosis and plenty of sniggers. He had then come to the conclusion that he had spent too much time getting in character for those suicide forums and was simply too great of an actor to know when to quit.  
  
In any case, the fact that he had showered three times, changed outfits four times, and used far too much cologne had nothing to do with nervousness. He had far too much experience to succumb to anything that petty, having negotiated with powerful men, worked closely with the Yakuza, had himself kidnapped on various occasions and had even allowed himself to be tortured. Not once did he feel anything other than boredom or excitement, and he honestly could not remember ever feeling _nervous_.  
  
The sixth alarm he’d set went off, giving him a fifteen minute warning. He was not the sort of person to woefully watch minutes slip by slowly, and setting his alarms were a hallmark of ~~his excitement and anticipation~~ organisation. He stood in front of his mirror with a lint roller, picking off invisible flecks of dust and jumped when a loud knock on the door echoed throughout his apartment.  
  
_‘We said six! He’s early! What an idiot, I’ve still got twelve minutes and thirty four seconds!’_

Though he was ready to leave, he decided to stand by his bed (sitting would only cause wrinkles in his pants and sheets- two things that needed to stay pristine until his guest had entered his apartment) until precisely six o’clock. They had _agreed_ on _six_ and he would ~~mentally prepared~~ satisfied until he’d made his beast wait until six.  
  
He paced back to the mirror as another knock rang out, fidgeting with his shirt and pants and belt and- ‘ _Maybe I should have gone with a pink shirt instead of the black… or maybe gre-_ ’  
  
His seventh alarm went off, and he had ten minutes. ‘ _Only ten? I could have sworn ten had passed already…_ ’  
  
A third knock rang out and he could almost hear the wood splintering underneath an impatient fist. He wondered if his monster would wait or simply break the door down. Izaya was positive that he wouldn’t leave until he answered the door, as they’d both looked forward to this evening ever since his last kidnapping.  
  
He ran a hand through his hair, impatient himself, then felt his heart skip a beat as he realised that his hair had taken an hour to craft and he’d just _ruined_ it. He was suddenly thankful for those eight minutes and seventeen seconds, and misted his hair with water from the spray bottle he kept for just such occasions and began fixing his mistakes.  
  
The eighth alarm went off, startling him and causing him to almost ruin his hair once again. Luckily, he’d managed to keep his flinching confined to the lower half of his body and he was so close to being finished.   
  
“Flea, what the fuck are you doing making me wait outside?” an annoyed voice boomed from just outside his open bedroom door. Shizuo did not come inside, thankfully, instead waiting politely just outside the threshold and had thus missed Izaya literally jumping at the sound.

 

“It isn’t six, Shizu-chan.” Izaya retorted, “I didn’t hear you break the door down.”  
  
“Didn’t. You left it unlocked like a dipshit.”   
  
“I _never_ leave my door unlocked.” ‘ _Shit, shit, shit! Did I leave the door unlocked? What the fuck is wrong with me?!_ ’ “You must have broken the lock without realising. You should at least attempt to restrain yourself.”  
  
“Tch. It was unlocked, louse.” Shizuo was sounding more and more annoyed, though Izaya could hear something else in his voice that he couldn’t quite pinpoint. “A little open, too. It’s like you wanna get robbed.”  
  
Izaya swallowed a large mouthful of air. Had he really been that distracted when he arrived home? “No one is stupid enough to steal from me. In any case, it’s rude to enter someone else’s residence without permission.”  
  
“Fuck off, you invited me. And I’m not a vampire so I can do what I want!”  
  
Izaya studied his reflection and fought to place a neutral, or even mocking, mask but ended up having to settle for something in between. He turned and strode as confidently as he could manage to his doorway, sneering at his guest.  
  
“Welcome to my home, Shizu-chan.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mikado, unlike many teens his age, was aware of his numerous limitations. Fortunately, he was in a position where, as the founder of the Dollars, he could ignore some of his own shortcomings and focus on the strengths of others. If he needed information and had no idea where to find it, he need only ask and his position would guarantee a response. If he witnessed something he deemed to be unjust but lacked the strength to right the wrong himself, he need only ask for volunteers.  
  
The power that he wielded was more than any adult, let alone teenager, should possess, but as a general rule he always allowed things to take their natural course and rarely interfered. In fact, the only times he would interfere were when people he cared about were in danger. Perhaps that was the reason why he was struggling to keep a clear head.  
  
The beating he had suffered the day prior had not been a random mugging. This was a fact that all who knew about it were aware of, and it had only been courtesy that no one pressed any further. Contrary to what he had said, he could in fact remember every moment of the assault in detail up to the point he lost consciousness.

 

He remembered the threat against himself and those he cared about. The warning he was given which stated that anyone who had been known to socialise with Shizuo or Izaya was on the hit list. Mikado had thrown a weak punch at those words, only to scrape his knuckles and land face first on the cold concrete of the alleyway. The laughter of the men who beat him still rung through his ears, and he could still taste the powerlessness he felt.  
  
It had clouded his judgement, turning him wild and his emotions and pride forced him to act. He reread the message he’d prepared after identifying those who had broken into Izaya’s office, the same ones who had bragged about it online. The latest rumours were saying that Izaya had been killed, and as Mikado still hadn’t heard anything from him he couldn’t assume otherwise. He knew that it was unlikely that he’d get much information out of those thugs, but he had to try something, anything, to lessen his guilt.  
  
Taking a deep breath, he hit enter.

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

  
Already on his feet, Shizuo turned in yet another circle and tried to get his sights on the pest. He saw a group of high school kids, a life guard, those annoying (and now slightly bruised) women, and an old hairy man carrying something small under his arm.  
  
“..!”  
  
Grabbing the discarded shirt, Shizuo stormed over to the man and swung him around by the shoulder to confirm his suspicions. Sure enough, a parasite had somehow managed to attach itself to the man.  
  
“Shizu-chan, you’re just in time!” He chirped, far too happy to be simply people watching. “Uncle here says he can make me a model, isn’t that great? I’m just about to go to my audition.”  
  
“No.” the blonde growled, eyes narrowing into slits.  
  
“You know kid, you’re pretty good looking yourself.” The man licked his lips as he gave Shizuo a once over, “Why don’t you say all three of us go back to my office, eh?”  
  
Izaya fought to contain his laugher as Shizuo’s rage steadily rose. “Shizu-chan, you didn’t ask what sort of model I’d be!”  
  
“…”  
  
“We’d star in our own movies and make 20% of the profits, isn’t that just great?”  
  
“You’ve gotta pass that audition first though! We just need to check out your… skill level…”  
  
“Maybe he’ll teach me something new to bring home for you, Shizu-chan!”  
  
Shizuo couldn’t remember bringing his fist up, but he was thankful that he’d managed to knock the creepy old man to the sand and not the water. The man was apparently unconscious by a single hit, leaving a bored Izaya to wriggle free of the man’s clutches.   
  
“What the fuck were you doing, flea?”  
  
“It didn’t seem as though you wanted me to be anywhere near you today, so I thought I’d make some new friends and explore different career paths.”  
  
“What?!”  
  
“You were busy with your _fans_.” Izaya spat, avoiding as much eye contact as possible. “So I needed to go make my own fun.”  
  
“What are you going on about, bastard? All I’ve done is set up the umbrella whilst you go traipsing around shirtless and running off with strange men who want to screw you!”  
  
“I was referring to your three groupies from earlier.”  
  
“Huh? They just wouldn’t get out of the damn way. ” Shizuo shrugged, still confused but willing to let it pass. “And what’s with you, running around shirtless?”  
  
“You’re shirtless as well, Shizu-chan. We are at the beach.”  
  
“That’s not the same!” He shoved the article of clothing toward the brunette, “You need to cover up a bit… You’re just… With your… You look… Someone might-”  
  
“Fine, if it will promise not to finish that sentence I will.” Izaya said as he almost tore his shirt as he pulled it over his head. “Happy?”  
  
“Shut up.” Came the reply in an uncharacteristically gentle manner, exaggerated by Shizuo staring at his feet. “Anyway… want to go swim?”  
  
“How can I swim in a shirt like this?”  
  
“You take it off first?”  
  
“Didn’t you just ask me to cover myself?”  
  
“Doesn’t matter, I’ll be with you so I’ll make sure no one tries to make you model again.”  
  
“If it doesn’t matter, can I go nude?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“Tch. You’re such a bore sometimes.”  
  
  
  
  
  


  
**

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_A year and three months earlier_ **

****

****

****

****

****

****

Hesitantly, Shizuo withdrew his hand from his flea’s mouth, giving the brunette a stern look which promised the hands return should Izaya try to play dirty.

 

“We can’t do this today.”  
  
“Why not!?” Izaya exclaimed before he could stop himself. He was naked and incredibly turned on, with the object of his desire _right there_ , and he was going to go home with blue balls. “You’re a damn beast, you’re supposed to want to eat, sleep, fuck and fight! You do everything else with me, why not this?”  
  
“I’ll hurt you, and I don’t wa-”  
  
“Liar! You know you won’t, moron!”  
  
Shizuo sighed deeply, as if he was trying to convince himself that this was the right thing to do. “I don’t want to take the chance.”  
  
“So what, we’re never going to fuck?”  
  
“I didn’t sa-”  
  
“You will **never** feel ready.” Izaya tried to cover himself with his hands in an effort to be taken more seriously, underestimating just how aroused he actually was. The loan groan that escaped his lips appeared to have an impact on the blonde as well, as he leapt from his position on the bed and rummaged through his closet.   
  
“Here.” He said, throwing a pair of grey sweats at the brunette, “Sorry about the clothes.”  
  
“Should be sorry for stopping, idiot.” Izaya mumbled as he put on the pants which only slightly improved the situation.  
  
“Izaya…”

 

The informant stopped fussing and complaining, interested in whatever Shizuo planned on saying. Whatever it was, he knew it wouldn’t be easy for the blonde to say if the tone of his voice were anything to go by.  
  
“I don’t want to break you.”  
  
“I’m not th-”

 

“You are.” Shizuo interrupted, hands curling into fists. “I can never do the things I want without breaking something. I can’t hold you as tightly as I want to, I can’t protect anything, I can’t do anything other than destroy. I cannot risk hurting you, not in that way. It’s not the same as our chases, Izaya, it only takes one second of inattention and I might cut you in half.”  
  
“I’m not that breakable, Shizu-chan. No matter what you think, I’m not.” Izaya reached out his cold feet, shoving them underneath Shizuo’s thigh to warm up. “I don’t think you’ll hurt me.”  
  
“But what if I do? Is that how you want to die?”  
  
“So what if you do, I die with a smile on my face. Besides, what’s to say I’m not as dangerous as you?”  
  
“This is different!”  
  
“It isn’t.” Izaya retorted, his tone turning stern, “I want a date for when it will happen.”

 

“Izay-”  
  
“Alright, exactly one month from today at six in the evening at my apartment. You show or you don’t, it’s up to you.”

 

Defeated, Shizuo just nodded. “I just want to say one more thing…”  
  
“What?”  
  
“It’s… It really is because I’m afraid of hurting you. It has nothing to do with you being… well…”  
  
“What?” Izaya’s patience had run dry, ready to escape the suffocating room.  
  
“It’s not because I don’t want to, y’know? I really, really, really want to…. You look so… That’s why I’m scared I’ll lose control, because you’re just so…”  
  
Izaya stared at a corner, unable to look his boyfriend in the face. It was too much to absorb, and he suddenly wished he’d made the ‘date’ for some time sooner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

**[ Any person interested in an official operation, please let me know immediately. I have a mission for the Dollars, and I need all the numbers I can get. ]**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thanks again for reading :D 
> 
> This chapter was actually supposed to be just over 4k longer, but I've ended up having to split it. So I'm sorry about that, you'll have to wait until tomorrow for the next part :D


	18. Ashes.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the past, Izaya asks for a favour.
> 
> In the present, Izaya is a creepy father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Just thought I'd clear something up about the timelines in case it causes any confusion.
> 
> Things that are happening in the past or future will always be labelled, and things that are happening in the present won't be. So if a section is labelled with "Two months earlier" or "Seven days from now", that's how much time is between the present and those events.
> 
> I know it's getting a bit confusing, but it should hopefully become a bit easier to follow in the next few chapters. If you have any questions or need me to clear something up, please ask! :D

By the time Kadota and Togusa had arrived at Izaya’s office, the place had been sealed off by various intimidating men in suits and it didn’t take a genius to figure out that they weren’t the police. Getting back into the elevator, the pair laughed nervously to each other as the doors started to close. Their relief was short lived, however, as a cane pushed itself into the small gap in the doors, forcing the elevator to open itself once again.  
  
A man with a scar covering one eye, sunglasses and a gaudy suit, smiled at them. “Going down?”  
  
The instinctual fear that Kadota and Togusa experienced at the man’s presence was nearly overwhelming, but neither let it show. Both knew that you could never let a shark think you’re a wounded fish.  
  
“Yes,” Kadota replied calmly, “I’m sorry, if we had seen you there we would have kept the doors open.”  
  
The man smiled and stepped into the elevator, positioning himself between the two men. “That’s alright kid, I’ve been told I have a bad habit of sneaking up on people.”  
  
The doors closed once again and the lift began its decent in silence, broken when they’d almost reached the ground floor by the sound of three cell phones chiming. Togusa and Kadota ignored theirs, not willing to make any movements that could perceived as threatening. The man between them, however, sighed and pulled his phone out.  
  
“These messages are getting crazy these days,” He said after reading the message, “The founder sure seems interested in Orihara.”  
  
“Yeah, seems that way. Do you mind if I check my phone?”  
  
“Don’t be polite on my account, though it’s always nice to see the younger generation treating their elders with respect.”  
  
Kadota pulled out his phone and checked the message, then pulled up the site frowning. “This isn’t good.”  
  
“What is it?” Togusa asked cautiously.  
  
The scary man replied in Kadota’s place as the doors opened on the ground floor. “Looks like the Dollars are going to war with the local gangs. Not a bright idea if you ask me.” He spun his cane in a circle as he exited the lift, tapping it on the ground twice to get the attention of the men inside it. “Aren’t you leaving?”  
  
Togusa and Kadota nodded and walked out of the lift toward the front door of the building. “Before you go, would you mind telling me why two fine young men would be sneaking around near the office belonging to an informant?”  
  
“As you guessed, we’re members of the Dollars.” Kadota said, turning around to face the man, “Just wanted to see for ourselves.”  
  
“Hmm,” the man hummed, “I thought that Kadota Kyohei wasn’t one for lying. Perhaps my information was incorrect.”  
  
Kadota felt the hair on the back of his neck stand to attention and swallowed the sense of dread he felt. He had never met this man before and he hadn’t introduced himself. Kadota was well known throughout certain circles, often being mistaken for the mysterious leader of the Dollars himself, but he had a feeling that this man knew him for other reasons.  
  
“Don’t be so scared, kid. We have to keep an eye on anyone interesting that our informant associates with.”  
  
“’Our informant’?”  
  
The man laughed to himself, “Oh, where are my manners, I forgot to introduce myself. The name is Akabayashi, but you can call me ‘Oi-chan’ if you’d prefer.”  
  
Kadota and Togusa shared a look. They knew that name and the reputation that came along with it. The idea that Awakusu-kai’s Red Demon was pleasantly making conversation with them shook them straight to their core.  
  
The cane struck the tiled floor twice more, and Akabayashi spoke again “You went to school with that informant kid, yeah?”  
  
“When he showed up…”  
  
Akabayashi laughed, “He does seem the type to do whatever he wants. He even took off on this holiday of his without permission and won’t return a single call.”  
  
“He didn’t ask you all for help with his office?”  
  
“’Course not, that kid wouldn’t ask us for a favour. We’re just here out of the goodness of our hearts. Tell me, do you believe that he’s dead or in jail?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“Good answer. If Heiwajima no nii-chan can’t kill him, a bunch of punks probably couldn’t either.” The Red Demon made a show of checking his watch and sighing, “It looks as though I’m late. I’ll offer you two kids some advice before you leave.”  
  
Akabayashi walked back toward the elevator, each step punctuated with the sound of his cane hitting the floor. “Stay clear of the rumour mill and keep your heads down until Orihara gets back from wherever he’s run off to. It would be a damn shame if something were to happen to you because of a misunderstanding.”

 

The elevator dinged and slid open and the demon entered it, pressing a button and waving to the two men left behind as the doors closed.  
  
They stood still as they tried to process what they’d just experienced. Veiled threats were not new, but threats from someone that dangerous were terrifying.  
  
“Togusa.”  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“Let’s go to Russia Sushi and get something to eat.” Kadota slowly began walking to the street again, “I think we should pick up Karisawa and       Yumasaki along the way as well.”  
  


 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

One thing that Mikado always seemed to forget was the possibility that the members of the Dollars might be a part of other gangs. Izaya had pointed it out to him once before, during the incident with The Slasher, but it seemed to have slipped his mind. The trade-off for having a seemingly endless supply of members was that those members did not have to swear loyalty or follow any rules prohibiting them from sharing any information they received as members.  
  
When the one hundred and something people volunteered for the Founder’s mission, it was only natural that many of those volunteers were simply gathering information to relay to others, who then relayed the information to those who were in charge. Plans were made and executed, leading to widespread destruction and the suffering of those who weren’t even affiliated with the Dollars.  
  
Mikado had holed himself up in make-shift clinic that was Shinra’s spare room, staring at the screen in front of him with a mixture of disgust and fear. He was the founder, no, the _leader_ of the Dollars. The amount of power he wielded came second only to the amount of responsibility on his shoulders. His mind raced with possible solutions as he flicked through open tabs, reading at a near-incomprehensible speed.  
  
He took in all the information, sorting it and either storing or disregarding it. There had to be a pattern somewhere, a reason and a way to stop the violence. His mind was drawing blanks, only seeing photographs that would surely haunt him and reading stories of blood and gore. No one was safe, housewives were being beaten in their homes and children were being hospitalised. There was no pattern, only devastation and blood.

 

A knock on the door startled him and he slammed the laptop closed. “C-come in.”  
  
“Mikado-kun? Are you okay?” Anri asked once she saw the look on Mikado’s face, “You’re so pale, should I get Kishitani-sensei?”  
  
“I’m okay, I guess I’m just tired.” The boy smiled, hoping to ease her fears. She didn’t look convinced, but didn’t try to pry any further.  
  
“I thought I’d say goodbye. Celty-san is taking me home.”  
  
“You’re not staying here again?”  
  
“No, I don’t want to impose any more and I really should leave now that you’re feeling better.”  
  
“Oh…” The boy blushed at the implication, “Thank you again for helping me. You’re always around whenever I get hurt, you’re like a guardian angel.”  
  
“I-it’s okay…” the girl blushed at the words, “Do you need anything before I go?”  
  
“No but… Make sure you stay safe and call Celty-san if anything bad happens. A lot of people are going crazy out there right now…” Mikado knew that Anri, for whatever reason, was capable of defending herself and that he couldn’t stop her from leaving. He hoped that she’d listen to his warning, nonetheless.  
  
“Sure.” She smiled, “I’ll see you later, Mikado-kun.”

 

Mikado opened the laptop as soon as the door clicked shut and started reading the next batch of reports. Sighing, he picked up his phone and tried calling Izaya, hoping that wherever he was he was not only alive, but taking calls.  
  
“Izaya-san… please call me when you get this, I really need your help.”  
  
  
  
  
  


**

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_7 days from now_ **

It took Shizuo a few moments to figure out where he’d woken up, forgetting that he’d arrived home the night before. He stretched himself out to try and ease the aches he felt from sleeping on his bed and promised to buy himself something just as fancy as the one he’d slept on for the last week. Eyes still closed, he rolled over and stretched out an arm, fully intending on dragging his pest over to him for cuddles that will last until his alarm went off.

 

Finding nothing but a pillow, he slapped his arm around on the mattress before admitting defeat and opening his eyes. ‘ _No flea._ ’ He couldn’t hear the water running in the bathroom either, which meant that Izaya had either gone out to buy breakfast or he’d gone home before Shizuo had woken up.  
  
“Tch.”  
  
Dragging himself out of bed, Shizuo scratched his stomach and made his way through the house in search of the note he knew that the informant wouldn’t leave for him. ‘ _Bastard never tells me shit, impolite shit! Doesn’t he know that you’re not meant to just run off whenever you feel like it without tellin’ anyone? Idiot!_ ’  
  
Sure enough, there was no note nor explanation left anywhere that Shizuo could see when he’d made it to the kitchen. He opened the fridge out of habit, surprised to see a fresh carton of milk and some bread. Izaya definitely wasn’t coming back there before he went to work, but Shizuo couldn’t get annoyed.  
  
“Don’t just buy breakfast for me if you’re not going to eat here as well.”  
  
He pulled out the offerings and sat them on the counter, noticing that his phone was off but plugged into a wall charging as he pulled out a glass. The blinking light suggested that it was working, and Shizuo decided he’d let people know he was home as he walked to work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

“It’s wonderful, isn’t it?” Izaya chirped happily as he tread water, facing the shoreline.  
  
“What?”

 

“The view, of course!”  
  
Though Shizuo was floating on his back and trying to figure out if that cloud looked like a puppy or a body flying through the air, he knew exactly what view his boyfriend was admiring.  
  
“Stop lookin’ at the people on the beach. It’s creepy.”  
  
“Creepy, you say? Is a father creepy for watching his children as they play in the park?”  
  
“Imagining you as a father is even scarier, flea.”  
  
“I’d be an amazing parent, but alas, the world cannot have my genes as I cannot place the needs of one human above the others.”  
  
“That and your kid would probably kill ya’ the first chance it gets.”  
  
“There’s nothing wrong with a father-child bonding experience, Shizu-chan.” The brunette replied earnestly, and Shizuo had the distinct feeling that Izaya would actually be _proud_ if any child of his tried to murder him.  
  
“Whatever. Jus’ stop acting like a pervert.”  
  
“Don’t be jealous, Shizu-chan. I’m merely observing them with pure intentions.”

 

Shizuo scoffed, but Izaya pressed on regardless.

 

“They’ve formed packs and are becoming territorial. The group over there seems to be encroaching on what its neighbour thinks is their space, and it’s started an argument. Over there, the women are quite obviously judging and appraising the women in _that_ group and I don’t have to be there to know the remarks are scathing. How insecure they are, to forcibly drag others down from where they themselves put them.”  
  
Izaya looked at the scene with glee, soaking in every movement of every person he could see. He and Shizuo were far enough out to not be heard, thankfully, but still close enough for him to almost catch a glimpse of their expressions.  
  
“Let’s go back in, I want to get a closer look.” Izaya said eagerly. It wasn’t until he didn’t receive a reply that he turned around to look at the floating blonde. “Shizu-chan?”  
  
Shizuo wasn’t listening and had somehow developed the ability to tune out Izaya’s voice. Honestly, Izaya knew that the talent was needed, but he couldn’t help but feel insulted. Smirking, be bobbed down beneath the water and swum over to his beast.  
  
Knowing that Shizuo barely felt it when a knife stabbed him, Izaya was willing to gamble Shizuo probably wouldn’t notice anything at all so long as he was focusing on something else. He used a finger and thumb from both hands to carefully take hold of Shizuo’s board shorts and gave them a big enough tug to remove them.  
  
As soon as he saw the shorts come over the tips of Shizuo’s feet, he pushed himself backward and burst to the surface to take a much needed breath. Shizuo had hidden his lower half beneath the water and was looking around with a confused expression on his face.  
  
“Did you lose something, Shizu-chan?”  
  
“You bastard! Give them back!”  
  
“Give what back?”  
  
“You know what!”  
  
Izaya pulled the shorts up in front of him, taunting his monster. “Oh, do you mean these?”  
  
“Yes! Give them back NOW!”  
  
Izaya laughed as Shizuo paddled over to him, confident that he’d be able to dodge anything that was thrown at him. He was still laughing when Shizuo picked him up and his body left the water, and even as he re-entered it a few metres away. He kicked his way to the surface and coughed, still laughing at the infuriated beast that was too stupid to take the shorts back before punishing him. Grinning, he swam further away from the beach as his beast gave chase and noted that this was the first time their chase had been done in the water.  
  
  
  


  
**

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anri watched as Celty and Shooter sped away after dropping her home. The dullahan had assured her that she had really been no trouble and could come visit or stay over whenever she liked. Anri appreciated the offer, but could never shake the feeling that she was imposing on the goodness of others. She was neither proud nor ashamed of her parasite status, but respected Celty too much to leech off her.  
  
_You can have that monster if you want. I can’t love monsters._

 

Anri ignored Saika’s voice and mentally inspected her fridge. Realising that there wasn’t much of anything, she walked away from her apartment in favour of collecting groceries. She grimaced as she made her way down the first alleyway, images of Mikado’s broken body flashing before her eyes. She hurried out and shook her head, willing the pictures to go away.

 

Why would someone do that to him? Mikado wasn’t the sort of person to go searching for confrontation, even if he did have a few secrets. She cursed herself for stopping those men with the back of her blade, if she had only cut one of them then she could simply ask. Too wrapped up in her own thoughts, Anri failed to hear the noises from behind her. She turned down the last alley, seeing the store out the other side.  
  
“Hey bitch! I’m talking to you!”  
  
Anri jumped and turned around, seeing a small group of four trailing behind her. They didn’t look much older than her, but they were all carrying metal poles and bats and seemed dangerous.  
  
“U-um,” She stuttered, unsure of what to do. “I didn’t hear you?”  
  
The boy who’d called out to her laughed and walked over to her, the others staying two steps behind him “I said you’ve got nice tits. How’s ‘bout we have some fun?”  
  
“N-no thank yo-ou.”  
  
“Playing hard to get, eh?” The man jeered, close enough for Anri to feel his breath, “You keep sayin’ no then and I’ll just do whatever I want.”  
  
The three behind her sniggered loudly as their leader shoved Anri against the wall by her shoulder. Anri made a small noise in pain, but otherwise stayed quiet. Her attacker had also ceased moving, leading the others to question him.  
  
“Oi Taro!” the one in a bandana called, “Don’t keep her all to yourself!”  
  
The boy, apparently named Taro, stepped backward and away from Anri. “We can’t hurt Mother, it would make her sad.”  
  
“The fuck are you talking about?”  
  
Anri closed her eyes and sunk to the ground, not caring to watch the ensuing scuffle. When the noises had stopped, a hand reached out and tapped her shoulder gently. “It’s safe now.”  
  
Anri tilted her head, opening her eyes to stare at who had once been her attacker, smiling kindly at her as if the blood running down his face were an illusion. She took his hand and he brought her to her feet. “Thank you.”  
  
_When?_ She asked the sword inside her.  
  
_Just now, I couldn’t hold back my love once he was so close!_ Came the reply amongst the sea of ‘Love, love, love’.  
  
“Why did you attack me?” Anri asked, unsure of what else to do now that a pair of red eyes were watching her.  
  
“Because you have nice breasts and we’ve been waiting for you.”  
  
Ignoring the comment about her bust (she was used to this harassment), she continued “Why were you waiting for me?”  
  
“Our leader sent all of us your photo and told us to hurt you…” He replied with the innocence of a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar, “Sorry.”

 

Anri sighed “Can you tell me why you were meant to hurt me and show me any other photos you’ve been sent?”  
  
The teen dug a phone out of his pocket and handed it to Anri after bringing up the images. She flipped through them quickly, hands beginning to shake once she came across the photographs of Mikado and some other people she knew.  
  
“We’re meant to take down anyone who knows Heiwajima or that other creepy guy. If they aren’t here, it means we can take over.”

 

Anri returned the phone and thanked him for his help before releasing Saika from her arm. She lightly cut the three others on the ground and gave the conscious one strict instructions to not only stop the hunt, but to stop the violence of others.  
  
Running out of the alley, she called to any children that might be in the area and gave them the same orders. Groceries forgotten, she continued throughout the city unharmed in order to reach out to each and every one of them.

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

Russia Sushi had become a haven from the violence in the streets, with no one willing to come against its owners. Simon had taken to offering to accompany its patrons to the station, knowing that his presence alone would act as a deterrent, and had already made the trip several times.

 

Dennis kept an eye on the news broadcast, no longer looking for news of two of Ikebukuro’s strongest, instead assessing the damage being done on the streets outside. In just three days, the city had collapsed on itself, falling into violence and minor skirmishes for dominance. The reason for how the fighting started was unclear, but he was certain that the absence of a certain blonde hothead might have something to do with it.  
  
Ikebukuro, though prone to strange phenomena, was never as violent and bloodthirsty as it was at present. The gangs had all seemed to have unspoken rules preventing them from attacking at random or en masse, but for some reason that seems to have been forgotten. Hearing more customers enter, he dragged his attention away from yet another report of on middle schoolers being hospitalised.  
  
“Yo, Dennis.” Kadota greeted, and the Russian nodded in return. Kadota pointed at a table in the corner, “You guys go sit down and I’ll be over in a bit.”  
  
His three companions did as suggested and walked over to the table, Erika and Walker still excitedly recounting the fight they were in earlier to Togusa.

 

“Have you heard from either of them yet?”  
  
“No, not yet.” Dennis replied with a frown. “Did you hear about Izaya’s office?”  
  
“Yeah, I did.” Kadota shifted his weight from foot to foot, “I don’t think it’s important though, with everything else going on.”  
  
Dennis nodded, but noted Kadota’s uneasy response. He didn’t need to pry to understand that the man had obviously run into someone he hadn’t wanted to.  
  
“I don’t think they’re in jail, or that Izaya is dead.” The man added, “He probably caused all of this and is laughing about it.”

  
“Shizuo would probably beat him half to death if that were true.” The Russian stated, “They’ll be home in five days, the violence will probably stop then.”  
  
“I hope so… We’re going to do what we can anyway, it might slow it down if nothing else.”  
  
“People who fight fire with fire usually end up with ashes.” Dennis quoted sternly.  
  
“We won’t do anything like that, but it’d be good to find whoever is organising this. It doesn’t seem natural for everyone to suddenly start attacking each other.”

 

“If you need help, we’re always here.”  
  
Kadota thanked him and made his way over to his group who began conversing quietly. Dennis turned his head to share a look with Simon. They both knew that things were going to get far worse before they got better.

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_Two months earlier_ **

**Orihara Izaya, reborn!**

 

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

Ah, if it isn’t Orihara Yumcha. What brings you here this evening?

**Orihara Izaya**

Don’t call me that. I will find you eventually, and every time you say that just adds to the minutes of agony you might experience.

 

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

So you keep saying.

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

What is it you want?  
  
  
**Orihara Izaya**

Confirmation.  
 

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

So you’ve heard the rumbling as well. Are you unable to find the truth on your own?  
  
**Orihara Izaya**

I’m quite capable, but I’ve never believed in making an easy job difficult.

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

…yet you do that all the time.

  
**Orihara Izaya**

Shut up and just tell me.

 

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

As far as I know, you have a reason to be worried.  
  
**Orihara Izaya**

Worried? Ha! You really shouldn’t underestimate me.

 

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

Who said anything about underestimating you?  
  
**Orihara Izaya**

Then why would I be worried?

 

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

Isn’t that obvious?  
  
**Orihara Izaya**

…

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

You have something to lose now.  
  
**Orihara Izaya**

What are you talking about? Stop reading manga and come join me in reality.

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

Deny it all you want, but you’ve become soft. Shizuo has made you soft.  
  
**Orihara Izaya**

I am not soft, but you might very well be delusional.

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

Soft isn’t a bad thing. Jellyfish are soft, yet certain types can kill you. If I had to, I’d say you used to be the blade of a knife, but now you’re like the carukia barnesi. They too are small and soft, but they can kill an adult human in under twenty minutes.  
  
**Orihara Izaya**

I don’t appreciate being likened to seafood or being called small. 180cm is tall enough.

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

You’re 175cm. Who knew you were so inept that you couldn’t even gather information on yourself?  
  
**Orihara Izaya**

I resent that, I was obviously just attempting to gauge how much information you had on me.

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

And why would you be doing that?  
  
**Orihara Izaya**

As much as it pains me to do so, I need you to do something for me in around two months. I will compensate you accordingly.

 

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

I’m intrigued, you’ve only ever asked for information.  
  
**Orihara Izaya**

Are you incapable of doing anything else? Perhaps you’re incapable of leaving the computer?

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

There may be some truth to that. Tell me what you want and if it’s interesting enough, I’ll give you a discount.  
  
**Orihara Izaya**

So generous of you. What I want is quite simple, though try as they might, none have been able to do it so far.

  
**Orihara Izaya**

I need you to kill me.

 

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

I don’t think that Shizuo will appreciate that. It’s far too scary for me!  
  
**Orihara Izaya**

You know what I mean so drop the act. If everything goes according to plan, which it will, I’ll need you to tell as many people as you can that I’m dead. You can kill me in whatever way you choose, but please avoid fates involving sexual assault or Shizu-chan.

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

Do you have a date for this?  
  
**Orihara Izaya**

You’ll know when the right time is, but it should be in around two months. My dear assistant will contact you shortly afterward with a message from me. Please contact me when you receive it.

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

Who can say that I’ll be able to find you?  
  
**Orihara Izaya**

Don’t insult my intelligence. Just find me and send me an information dump of anything interesting or relevant.

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

That part will cost you I’m afraid, but I’ll kill you for free as it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.  
  
**Orihara Izaya**

Just make it convincing.

 

**Orihara Izaya, confirmed dead!**

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

You’re so cold, even when asking for help.

**Tsukumoya Shinichi’s turn!**

**Tsukumoya Shinichi’s turn!**

**Tsukumoya Shinichi’s turn!**

**Tsukumoya Shinichi’s turn!**

**Tsukumoya Shinichi’s turn!**

**Tsukumoya Shinichi’s turn!**

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_A year and two months earlier_ **

****

****

****

****

****

****

Following Izaya down the stairs, Shizuo had told him that he didn’t realise they were supposed to go out to eat and had filled up on pastries with Vorona after work. He hadn’t realised that they were supposed to be going out to eat that night, which threw a wrench into Izaya’s plan.  
  
As they sat awkwardly on the couch, Izaya became increasingly annoyed. Shizuo was supposed to come take him out for dinner, bring him home, then become an animal and take him _hard_. It was uncultured to simply arrive and expect to get straight to it.

 

Shizuo, hating uncomfortable silences, cleared his throat a little. “So uh, I came. Just like you wanted.”  
  
‘ _Do you even think before speaking?!_ ’ “So you did.”  
  
They looked at each other for a moment, unsure of what else to add. They might not be the most loving couple but there was rarely a silent moment between them. Izaya wracked his brain for anything helpful, tapping his heel as he thought.  
  
“Did… you have a nice day?” Shizuo tried clumsily, as though someone else were using his mouth to speak.  
  
“Every day is a nice day when you’re me, Shizu-chan.”  
  
Shizuo hummed thoughtfully. “Guess I should really ask how many lives you ruined instead, huh?”  
  
“I don’t ruin lives, I just help humans to find their way in a world too confusing for them to comprehend.” Feeling a little more comfortable, he added “I suppose I should ask you how many bones you broke today.”  
  
Shizuo chuckled, “Probably a few, my hands were all shaky today so it was harder to control myself.”  
  
“Why were your hands shaking?”  
  
“Dunno.” Shizuo lied. He’d be damned if he would tell his flea that he’d been nervous.  
  
Izaya had already worked out that much and was feeling a lot more in control of himself. “Could it be that you were excited to see me, Shizu-chan?” he purred, crawling over to the blonde and onto his lap.  
  
“Tch, who’d want to see you?” Calloused fingers ran over Izaya’s thighs contradicted his words.  
  
The brunette grinned and leaned forward, brushing his lips over the lobe of the blonde’s ear and using his tongue to flick it. Shizuo jumped at the sensation, forcing Izaya to fall backward and onto the floor at his feet.

 

“Sorry…” he mumbled, face in his hands as he silently wished for death.  
  
“Did it feel that good?”  
  
“What?”  
  
“Ah, I make Shizu-chan feel so good he jumps.”  
  
“You hit your head or something?” Shizuo moved his hands and stared at what resembled an idiot on the floor, “I don’t think doing this is a good idea after all.”  
  
Izaya stopped laughing and his face became stern. “Shizu-chan, you aren’t leaving until we’ve had sex.”  
  
“Flea, listen. I-”  
  
“You will get down here and you will fuck me and you will like it. Do not make me wait.”  
  
“You can’t just order me to do something like that, bastard! You can’t rape me!”  
  
“It’s not rape, Shizu-”  
  
A socked foot covered Izaya’s mouth and cut him off, though he could clearly see the bulge in his blonde’s pants.  
  
“You can’t trick me into it!”  
  
“…!” Shizuo moved his foot and gave Izaya a look in warning. “I said, if you don’t do it tonight then you’ll never get a chance to.”  
  
“Eh? Why’s that?”

 

“Because, you idiot, I’m tired of waiting for you to stop your god damn hissy fit. I’ve waited for months and I am sick of it! Do you even know how many offers I get? And I can’t get _you_ to do it? Ha!”  
  
Shizuo frowned, “Who’s giving you offers?”  
  
“That’s not important and they aren’t interesting enough to mention.” Izaya pulled on Shizuo’s pant leg, “Are you going to do it or not?”  
  
“Are you sleeping around with anyone else?”  
  
“What? No!” Izaya exclaimed, insulted by the question.  
  
“Well you said you got offers!”  
  
“That doesn’t mean I take them up on it!”  
  
“You didn’t say that before!”  
  
“Who on earth is going to do that when I’m dating you?” Izaya reasoned, unaware of the loudness of his voice, “Oh that’s right, no one knows!”  
  
“Don’t blame me! You’re the one who was worried about reputations!”  
  
“You don’t need to hide a rela- whatever this is to be threatening, you protozoan!”  
  
“You’re so FUCKING ANNOYING!” Shizuo balled his hand into a fist, the urge to destroy the brunette on the floor was becoming overwhelming. “I’m leaving!”  
  
Shizuo only made it halfway to the door before he stopped. He took a few deep breaths and unclenched his fist before turning back to the couch. “Sorry. I’m just…”

He heard no response and made his way back to the couch. Peering over the back, he saw Izaya still on the floor, pouting and with his arms crossed. “I don’t care.”  
  
“Yeah, yeah.” He replied, stepping over the couch and joining the brunette on the floor. “Wanna stay here?”  
  
Izaya nodded, pulling one of his monsters arms underneath his head to rest on. They stayed there for a while, not speaking and only hearing the sounds of their breath. After what felt like hours, Shizuo sighed. Silently, he removed his arm and rested Izaya’s head on the floor. Izaya shot him a questioning look, and was answered by a small smile followed by chapped lips meeting his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are finally moving ahead after chapters and chapters of building. I'm actually very excited at the idea of the next few chapters, and I'll hopefully keep you all interested as the story progresses :D
> 
> Thank you for reading! And feel free to point out any mistakes I've made in this chapter. :D


	19. I don't trust you.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the past, Izaya is impatient.
> 
> In the present, Shizuo gets ice cream. Meanwhile in Ikebukuro, the van gang are thrown a surprise party.

“I’m so tired~,” Izaya whined, body spread out on a towel in an unflattering position, “Who knew that it’d be more tiring to have you chase me through the water?”  
  
“It’s your own fault,” Shizuo huffed in response. He had his back turned to his flea, still annoyed at him for stealing his board shorts. “Just be glad I didn’t rip off your legs and beat you to death with them.”  
  
“You still can’t take a joke after all these years, can you?”  
  
“I was naked! People thought I was a pervert!”  
  
“So oversensitive.” Izaya rolled onto his side and leaned his chin on Shizuo’s shoulder, “You’ve never had that much trouble being naked around me before.”  
  
Shizuo shrugged the informant off and inched his body further away, “Tch.”  
  
“If you’re going to be like that then I suppose there’s no helping it.” Izaya rose to his feet, reaching into his bag to pluck out his wallet and phone. Shizuo turned to watch him, smiling despite himself as the brunette played with his cell phone charm. “I’ll buy you ice cream to make up for it.”  
  
“Two scoops. Vanilla and strawberry.”  
  
“Fine. Maybe it’ll clog your arteries and I won’t have to put up with such a moody boyfriend.” Izaya walked off toward the small shop, turning on his cell and waiting for it to come to life. Shizuo just made it too easy for him. He wondered if the blonde was aware of how cute he looked whenever he was teased and whether it was intentional.  
  
_‘It probably isn’t. He’s far too old fashioned to_ not _get embarrassed by these things.’_  
  
Ordering the ice cream, Izaya waited for the notifications on his phone to stop coming through. There were substantially more than he’d expected and he speculated as to whether he’d been killed off yet. Knowing Tsukumoya, it’d be in a way that he didn’t like.  
  
He paid the shop keeper with one hand as he scrolled through his phone. He had a few voicemail messages, including one from Mikado. He chuckled to himself, knowing it was probably the boy asking if he was alive and seeking advice. He ignored the messages from Shiki, knowing that he’d have to respond immediately and not wanting to do so in front of Shizuo.  
  
His attention was briefly drawn away from the phone when the shop keeper passed him the ice cream and he began his walk back to Shizuo slowly, chuckling occasionally at the things he read on the Dollars message board. Tsukumoya had killed him off at the best time, so it would seem, but Izaya couldn’t help but feel insulted that he’d supposedly been killed at the hands of petty thugs. Though it wasn’t a part of their deal, he wondered whether Tsukumoya had been the one to spread the rumour about Izaya selling out Shizuo.  
  
His thoughts were cut short, however, when he continued scrolling. He had expected the reports of gang violence, but what surprised him were the reports of the Slasher making an appearance. Saika’s red eyed children were flooding Ikebukuro in an attempt to stop the violence, only to unintentionally escalate it further and create more children. He began to laugh to himself, no longer caring that he was in public and forgetting that Shizuo was nearby and would surely ask about his behaviour. Mikado was sending the Dollars to war and Anri was trying to stop the violence. If only Kida were around, it could be a perfect storm!  
  
He laughed hard at the thought, his volume rising when he saw Mikado asking for further information on him and Shizuo. He wasn’t there to pull the strings, yet the puppets were dancing splendidly by themselves. _‘This is why I love humans so much! They’re so interesting!’_  
  
“Oi, Flea. What’s so funny?” Shizuo asked with a suspicious tone in his voice, grabbing his ice cream from the seemingly insane man. “What did you do this time?”  
  
“Ah, Shizu-chan! I can assure you I’ve done nothing!” Izaya replied, a finger wiping a tear from his eye.  
  
“Then what’s so funny?”  
  
“It’s not important.”  
  
Shizuo licked his ice cream but managed to keep the suspicious look on his face. He didn’t trust his flea and wouldn’t put it past him to be up to _something_. He was always scheming, after all. “I don’t believe you.”  
  
“You never do,” Izaya replied, sitting himself back down on the towel, “It’s why you never get boring.”  
  
Shizuo frowned. “I know you’re doing something. You always get that creepy look on your face when you are.”  
  
“Can’t you trust me this once?”  
  
“If I could trust you just once, I wouldn’t have spent a decade trying to smash your head in.”  
  
“So you don’t trust me now? We share a bed together, you let me handle your food. You must trust me on some level.”  
  
“Tch.” Shizuo took a bite of his ice cream, cringing at the sudden chill. “Look flea, don’t pull that shit with me. You and I both know that you’re a lying, scheming bastard.”  
  
Izaya made a hurt face, “I’m crushed! How could you think that way about me?”  
  
“It pisses me off and you know it. I don’t think you’ll kill me where no one else can see, and I guess that’s trust.” Shizuo paused, thinking for a moment. “It’s like this. I put up with your annoying shit because that’s you. It doesn’t mean I don’t know what you’re capable of. You’ve got some sick hobbies, Izaya.”  
  
“I suppose that’s fair.” Izaya sighed. “Aren’t you going to ask if I trust you?”  
  
“You don’t.”  
  
“At least pretend to be hurt.” Izaya pouted, though he really hadn’t expected anything less. “I’m bored. Let’s go to the onsen, there’s one not far from here.”  
  
“Alright… but you’re going to tell me what you’re up to!”  
  
“I’m not up to anything, but how about this.” Izaya said as he began collecting their belongings. “When we’re there, if you can stay in the water for longer than I can then I’ll let you read through my phone messages.”  
  
Shizuo narrowed his eyes at the informant wondering what the catch was. Izaya _never_ let him so much as borrow a phone to make a call, so there had to be something. After seeing nothing but a confident smile, he sighed. “What if you win?”  
  
“Then you have to do grant me a wish!”  
  
“What wish?”  
  
“That’s a secret~.” Izaya sung, tapping a finger to the side of his nose playfully.  
  
Shizuo weighed up his options. The way he saw it, there was no way that the flea would be able to outlast him in anything physical like this. Standing up, he nodded in agreement. “You’re on.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

****

****

**_A year and two months earlier_ **

****

****

****

****

****

****

  
The kiss which had started off as a series of soft and gentle pecks started to become more heated. Shizuo ran two feather-light fingers down the side of his flea’s face, enjoying the resulting tremors they caused in the man below him.

_‘Gentle, gentle, gentle. Don’t break, he’s fragile, don’t break, gently. Be more gentle.’_

 

The brunette sighed into the kisses, lifting his head and parting his lips slightly as an invitation that was soon ignored. A hand found its way to the small of Shizuo’s back and fingers trailed along the blonde’s spine. Shizuo moaned slightly at the sensation, and Izaya took the opportunity to deepen the kiss.

 

 _‘Focus, focus, focus, focus, focus! Don’t lose it, don’t break him! Fragile, gentle, breakable!’  
  
_ Shizuo pulled himself away from Izaya’s lips, choosing to pepper his face with small kisses instead. His lips barely made contact, trailing their way along the informant’s jawline to his ear before journeying to the crook of his neck. The blonde shifted to find a more comfortable angle but kept no weight on the man below him.  
  
_‘Soft, soft, soft, soft, soft…’  
  
_ Izaya shuddered when Shizuo’s lips made slightly harder contact with his neck and wrapped his arms around the blonde, squeezing him tightly. Shizuo pulled himself away quickly, studying his flea’s face intently. “Did I hurt you?”  
  
“…what?” Izaya replied quizzically, arms reaching out for his boyfriend “Don’t be stupid. Come back here.”  
  
Shizuo looked him over once more before acquiescing. To be on the safe side, he buried his face into the other side of the informant’s neck as arms wrapped around him once more. He ran his tongue along the brunettes collarbone, deciding that lips were simply too risky.  
  
Izaya moaned breathily, tightening his grip once more. “Shizu-chan…”  
  
Shizuo stopped moving, but remained in the embrace. “Yes?”  
  
Izaya sighed. The blonde was obviously unsure of himself and unable to understand the situation and Izaya was unwilling to plainly say that moaning his lovers name was a good thing. “Kiss me.”  
  
Shizuo nodded and moved his face back toward his boyfriend’s. He kissed him slowly, trying to ignore the feeling of Izaya’s hands roaming through his hair and occasionally pulling on the blonde strands.  
  
_‘Focus, focus, focus, focus, focus.’_  
  
Izaya tried to pull him closer but Shizuo refused to move, feeling the informant frown into the kiss. Unwilling to concede, the brunette wriggled around beneath the blonde, moving so that Shizuo was now kneeling between his open legs. Still unable to move Shizuo, he wrapped his legs around the blonde’s waist and pulled himself off the floor and against Shizuo.  
  
Shizuo instinctively wrapped an arm around Izaya to keep him there but broke the kiss. “The fuck are you doing, flea?”  
  
“Well, if Shizu-chan won’t come to me…” Izaya smirked, pleased with his own logic. “We should probably move this party to a more fitting location.”  
  
Shizuo frowned slightly but stood up nonetheless, wrapping his other arm around the man stuck to him. He didn’t want to hurt Izaya, so a softer surface would be best, after all. He started walking to the bedroom, desperately trying to ignore Izaya sucking on his earlobe and running his fingers through his hair.  
  
_‘Calm, calm, calm, calm. Don’t lose it. Stay calm. Focus on walking. Left, right, left, right, le-‘  
_  
Izaya moved his lips to the blonde’s neck as his legs slightly loosened around Shizuo’s waist, giving him more room to move against him. They were both hard, and Izaya ground himself against Shizuo greedily in search of friction.  
  
_‘STAY CALM! DON’T LOSE IT! DON’T YOU FUCKING LOSE IT!’  
_  
“Shizu-chan~” Izaya whispered softly, “Walk faster…”  
  
_‘FUCKING KEEP IT TOGETHER! GENTLE, BE GENTLE, STAY GENTLE!’  
  
_ Shizuo walked them over to the bed and placed Izaya gently onto the bed. He stood up, taking in the scene. Izaya was pouting at the lack of contact, his hair a mess and wrinkled shirt riding up and showing the smallest amount of skin around his abdomen. His eyes, half lidded, were hypnotising.  
  
“Shizu-chan…” He whined, reaching out a hand.  
  
Shizuo swallowed heavily before kneeling on the bed. The hand that had been offered to him cupped his face. “Are you sure about this? I could seriously hurt you…”  
  
“Don’t be stupid, Shizu-chan.” Came the reply, along with a reassuring smile. “I want all of you.”  
  
Shizuo leaned forward once more and kissed Izaya gently. He continued to scream at himself internally as thin fingers quickly unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it slowly off his shoulders. Shizuo broke the kiss and removed his shirt, Izaya taking the opportunity to quickly do the same before tossing it to the floor.  
  
_‘STAY CALM! FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS!’  
  
_ Shizuo felt a new surge of blood pump its way south at the sight of the half-naked man beneath him. Not trusting himself, he pushed away from the bed and made his way to the clothing on the ground.  
  
“What are you doing?”  
  
“Can’t leave clothes on the floor like this, they’ll wrinkle.” Shizuo replied as he folded the shirts, his voice wavering slightly.  
  
“They’re clothes, Shizu-chan.”  
  
“…”  
  
Izaya frowned for what felt like the hundredth time, Shizuo was not going to make this easy. “Well, if you’re insisting then it’d be better to just remove all of our clothes now then, right?”  
  
Shizuo heard the sound of a belt being unfastened and turned in time to see his flea arguing with a pair of slightly too-tight pants, pulling both them and his boxers off with one clean pull. He opened his mouth to say something but was soon cut off when the fabric hit him in the face. The blonde stayed still, thankful that the clothing was covering his face and hiding his expression from the man on the bed.  
  
“Hurry up, Shizu-chan~!”  
  
“…”  
  
Shizuo swallowed another mouthful of nothing and folded the pants, resting them on the floor in a pile. He walked back to his boyfriend, standing awkwardly in front of him and looking at everything but what he wanted to.  
  
“Aren’t you going to take yours off as well?” Izaya purred, moving into a kneeling position and reaching out his hands, “Or would you prefer that I did that for you?”  
  
Shizuo jumped backward slightly. “No! No, I can do it.”  
  
Izaya laid back down and watched as Shizuo clumsily stepped out of his trousers, eyes hungrily taking in the view. Shizuo was beautiful, with deceptively strong muscles pressing against the soft and seemingly untainted expanse of skin. His shoulders were well defined and broad, as if he were born for carrying the weight of the world.  
  
As Izaya’s eyes travelled further south, he noticed the small scar on Shizuo’s chest that had been left from their first meeting and the tiny blemishes that had once been bullet wounds in his side. Izaya felt the urge to run his hands and tongue over each and every part of Shizuo, not wanting to miss a single centimetre. He wanted to possess him, hold him, tie him up and protect him whilst simultaneously breaking and destroying every part of him. The desires he had were too much, too fast, too everything and he barely registered the embarrassed look on his monsters face when he reached a hand down to stroke himself at the view.  
  
It was too much, watching the blonde’s eyes widen at the sight of the informant pumping himself slowly, and Izaya knew that this sort of reaction was dangerous. He should be more in control, teasing his beast or mocking him for his inhuman reactions. Instead, he was lying on a bed, biting his lip and trying desperately to keep his voice down.  
  
“Izaya?” Shizuo whispered, not sure of what to do and painfully aware of the drops of precum oozing from his tip.  
  
Izaya giggled, “Kiss me.”  
  
Shizuo nodded, lowering himself onto the bed beside his flea. He ran a calloused hand over the pale chest as their lips softly met. Izaya groaned into the feeling, tongue sliding over the wind-chapped lips and once again wrapping an arm around the blonde’s shoulders. His hand, covered in his own precum, moved away from his own cock and toward Shizuo’s twitching one instead, taking a firm hold and forcing a small sound from Shizuo’s lips.  
  
“Shizu-chan, I need you to prep me.” Izaya purred, “I can’t wait for much longer.”  
  
Shizuo nodded, “Do you have any… you know…”  
  
“Bedside table.”  
  
Shizuo reached a hand toward the table, fingers grasping the small bottle of lube. He looked at Izaya as if waiting for permission before popping the cap and squeezing a generous amount on his fingers. Izaya smiled up at his beast, spreading his legs as an invitation and praying to whatever God might listen that he wouldn’t cum just from Shizuo’s fingers.  
  
Shizuo scrunched his eyes closed for a moment and took a deep breath. He had to keep it together, had to keep control and make sure that he didn’t hurt the fragile body below him. This wasn’t the same as throwing a vending machine, one fuck up in this area could seriously hurt or even kill someone. Opening his eyes, he slowly moved his finger to the informant’s hole, barely using any force to press his way in.  
  
Izaya whimpered at the sensation and pushed himself onto the finger, startling Shizuo and causing him to rip his hand away. “Are you okay? Did I push too hard?”  
  
The brunette glared at the blonde. “No.”  
  
“Maybe it’s better if we don’t do this.” Shizuo replied with a panicked look on his face.  
  
“Shizu-c-”  
  
“It’s too risky. There’s nothing to say I won’t lose it and acc-”  
  
“Shut up!” Izaya yelled, slamming his legs together and forcing himself up. “Just _shut up_. Are you an idiot? Do you really think you could actually hurt _me_?”  
  
“But what if I lose it! You know what I’m capa-”  
  
“Of course I want you to lose it, you protozoan! Are you completely dense?!” He yelled. He took a moment to compose himself, before continuing. “You’re right, we _shouldn’t_ do this. Lay down on the bed.”  
  
“Wha-”  
  
“Now.”  
  
Shizuo opened his mouth to argue but decided against it. He laid his back on the bed beside the informant and looked up at him curiously.  
  
“This is what we are going to do.” Izaya said as he plucked the bottle of lube from Shizuo’s fingers. “I am going to fuck you first, and you are going to pay attention. Maybe this way you’ll understand that I’m not that fucking breakable and stop treating me like I’m made of glass.”  
  
“I don’t thi-”  
  
“Shut up.”  
  
Shizuo complied with the order and watched as Izaya pried his legs open. They had never discussed positions, but he’d always assumed that he’d be on top.  
  
_‘It’s probably safer this way for the flea anyway…’  
  
_ The brunette traced a lube coated finger around Shizuo’s twitching entrance, smirking as Shizuo gripped the sheets. “You need to relax, Shizu-chan.” He said softly, before pushing the invading digit inside. “I’ll show you how amazing this can be, and you can try next time, okay?”  
  
Shizuo gasped at the strange sensation and fought the urge to clench. He screamed at himself internally to keep calm but was unable to continue the mantra when warm lips made their way to the tip of his cock.  
  
“Iza _ya_ …” He whispered as a tongue swirled along his slit, “Stop that…”  
  
Izaya laughed as he took more of Shizuo into his mouth, the vibrations sending ripples of pleasure throughout the blonde. He bobbed his head up and down slowly as he added a second finger.  
  
Shizuo tightened his grip on the sheets, fingers tearing through them easily and making holes in the mattress. He had to _focus_ and ignore the urge to buck his hips. By the time Izaya had added a third finger, releasing the blonde’s dick from his mouth and snickering.  
  
“See? A little pressure isn’t bad, ne, Shizu-chan?”  
  
Shizuo tried to glare at the annoying face but failed miserably. Laughing to himself, Izaya removed his fingers and took Shizuo’s hand, squeezing a generous amount of lube into it. Taking the hint, Shizuo took hold of Izaya’s cock and pumped it slowly, making sure to coat it thoroughly. Izaya watched the blonde’s face through half-lidded eyes, pushing him away when it almost became too much.  
  
“Are you ready?” He asked, positioning himself between Shizuo’s open legs and running a hand over his hip.  
  
Shizuo shivered at the feeling and nodded slightly, unable to communicate properly. Izaya smiled, lifting Shizuo’s unlubricated hand and kissing the palm. “Just keep your eyes on me, _Shizuo_.” He cooed, then pushed himself in slowly.  


 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shizuo was sweating. They’d been in the water for twenty minutes and though Izaya looked fine (apart from a red face), he was barely staying conscious.  
  
“Did you drug that ice cream or something?”  
  
“Of course not, Shizu-chan.” Izaya replied, playfully splashing water on the blonde beside him. “Why do you ask?”  
  
Shizuo growled in response, fighting the urge to close his eyes.  
  
“There’s no point being prideful about this. There’s no shame in _losing_ to me, it would hardly be a surprise.”  
  
“Tch.”  
  
Izaya laughed at his monster, watching as beads of sweat trailed down his bright red face. Had he considered Shizuo to be human, he might have been concerned.  
  
“Why are you alright with this? Aren’t you hot?”  
  
“Certainly, but unlike a certain someone my body temperature is at the normal level. I started off two degrees cooler than you.”  
  
“Cheater!”  
  
“It’s not my fault you failed to take your own core temperature into account.” Izaya replied in a bored tone, “It could easily have gone the other way, but you’ve never been good with the heat.”  
  
Shizuo mumbled something about bastard fleas, his words becoming more incoherent as the minutes ticked by. It was true, he’d never been good with high temperatures. During the winter months he’d put aside extra money to ensure that he could pay for the air conditioning during the summer. It wasn’t hard to do as he was fairly impervious to the cold, but it was irritating nonetheless.  
  
“Do you remember going to the beach when we were in high school?”  
  
“Yeah, you buried me in the sand, bastard! I almost drowned!”  
  
Izaya laughed, “Don’t be so dramatic, you were fine.”  
  
“A crab bit me!”  
  
“Ah, high school really was fun. I don’t understand why so many people have horrible memories from that time.”  
  
“You’re the one who gave them bad memories!”  
  
“I made their lives more interesting, perhaps.” Izaya sighed, happily reminiscing. “I really think you should concede, if you faint I might push your head under the water.”  
  
Izaya looked at Shizuo when he didn’t receive a reply. “You really did faint. I wonder if anyone would ever believe me if I said a monster such as yourself fainted because of a little hot water?”  


The brunette moved in front of the blonde, pulling him onto a shoulder and pushing him out of the bath to lay on the ground beside it. Even if Shizuo were unconscious, he’d make sure that his monster were the first to leave the water. He considered leaving him there, spreadeagled on the floor in order to embarrass the debt collector, but was far too possessive to actually do so. “Really, it’s no fun embarrassing you if you aren’t awake.”  
  
Exiting the bath himself, he placed the small towel over Shizuo’s crotch and grabbed his arms, dragging him over to the small pool of cool water nearby. Climbing in first, he hooked his arms underneath Shizuo’s armpits and dragged him in.  
  
“Wake up, sleeping beauty!”  
  
“Mnnnmnn…”  
  
Izaya pushed Shizuo’s head under the water which woke the blonde instantly. He broke the surface of the water, greedily taking in breaths as though he’d been beneath the water for hours.  
  
“What the fuck?”  
  
“You fainted~” Izaya sung, far too happy with the situation.  
  
“So you tried to drown me?” Shizuo tried to push away from the brunette but his limbs refused to listen to him. Giving up, he sunk his back into Izaya’s chest reluctantly.  
  
“I did tell you I would, it’s not my fault you don’t listen.”  
  
“Bastard…”  
  
Izaya chuckled to himself as he wiped the wet hair away from Shizuo’s face. “If only we were in Ikebukuro. It would be wonderful to watch how others would react to such a weak display.”  
  
“Whatever… So who won? Are you going to tell me what you’re up to?”  
  
“I’m not up to anything, but you were the first one out of the water.”  
  
“Doesn’t count if you forced me out!”  
  
“Should I have let you drown or called for someone else to pull you out?”  


“Still think you cheated…”  
  
“But I didn’t and you were the first to leave.” Izaya stopped playing with the blonde hair and trailed his hands down to broad shoulders instead, giving his monster an impromptu massage. “So you’ll grant my wish, ne?”  
  
“…what is it?” Shizuo asked, leaning into the informant.  
  
“I want a massage from a qualified masseuse,” he replied, quickly continuing as Shizuo tried to speak, “Your massages are _fine_ , but I’d like one from a professional for once. My wish is for you to allow me to do so without beating whoever does it to a pulp because of your petty and unfounded jealousy.”  
  
“I am _not_ jealous!” Shizuo replied, insulted at the thought. He really wasn’t jealous, he just didn’t like other people touching his things and Izaya was undoubtedly _his._  
  
“Of course not. It’s not as though you punched a man unconscious earlier today out of _jealousy_.”  
  
“He was a pervert!”  
  
“And you’re not?”  
  
“It’s not like I’m picking up people on the beach or stuff like that!”  
  
“I’d say what you do in private could be considered far more perverse, Shizu-chan.” Izaya said huskily before licking the blonde’s ear.  
  
Shizuo shivered but pushed himself away from the brunette, insulted at the implication. “Go get your stupid massage. See if I care, louse.”  
  
“I will. In fact, I’ll get one right now.” Izaya stood up and stepped out of the pool and made his way toward the shower.  
  
Shizuo crossed his arms and ~~pouted~~ frowned, that stupid flea was always doing things like this to get under his skin and distract him. He knew that Izaya would never tell him what he was up to because Shizuo would always try to put a stop to it, but it still felt strange that they didn’t trust each other entirely.

 

Trust might be the wrong word for them though, he thought. He trusted Izaya to not murder him in his sleep, and trusted him to watch his back, but he didn’t trust him with so much else. It should have been disheartening, but if anything it only made him appreciate the shitty louse more. Izaya was Izaya, and he wouldn’t change for anyone or expect Shizuo to change for him. They were the Ying and Yang, night and day, hot and cold. Izaya was the only person who wasn’t afraid of Shizuo and the only person Shizuo wasn’t afraid of breaking.  
  
Shizuo was the only person capable to seeing through Izaya’s games, and the only one able to see past them enough to appreciate Izaya. If one weren’t around, the other would surely be alone.  
  
“I’m getting my massage now. Please don’t break in through the wall.” Izaya sniped as he walked out of the shower block and to the main entrance.  
  
“Like I’d do anything for you.”  
  
“Idiot beast.”  
  
Shizuo kept his eyes glued to the ceiling as Izaya exited. He could hear him knock on the door beside the baths, muffled voices coming through the walls.  
  
“Damnit.”  
  
Feeling possessive already at the idea of another person touching _his_ flea, Shizuo pulled himself out of the pool and towelled himself off. He wasn’t going to give that louse the satisfaction of him barging in to check that everything was alright, so he decided against showering and quickly pulled his clothes on. He left the area as quickly as he could, deciding to find a pay phone instead.  
  
Meanwhile, Izaya had spoken with the masseuse and had been asked to disrobe, lay on the table and wait for them to return. It had already been a few minutes and the mixture of boredom and annoyance at Shizuo (‘ _Why don’t you just admit you get jealous, you protozoan!_ ’) had presented itself as a dangerous smirk.  
  
He stretched himself out on the table, muttering to himself about how ungrateful Shizuo could be. Was it really so much to ask for a bit of non-violent jealousy? Izaya had only been teasing, after all, and had actually wanted his beast to take him back to the hotel for a massage and perhaps a happy ending. Whether he liked to admit it or not, Izaya had certain needs and loved the sensation of Shizuo touching him, whether it was sexually or not.  
  
‘ _Idiot beast!_ ’  
  
The idiot deserved a lesson, certainly, and Izaya didn’t care that he was behaving childishly. He giggled to himself as a thought popped into his head and decided to go against his better judgement.  
  
“Ahhhhh…”  
  
“Haaaa, haaaa! Yeee- Ahhh!”  
  
“Mhmmm, right there, yes!”  
  
He stopped for a moment, swallowing another chuckle and straining his ears for movement on the other side of the wall but heard nothing.  
  
_‘Louder, maybe?’  
  
_ “AHHH YESSS, MMM!”  
  
Still no noise on the other side. Perhaps his beast was restraining himself, shaking with anger and close to snapping. If that were the case, which it certainly was, he only needed to go for a little longer.  
  
“OH GOD! HAA, HAAA! YEEE- OHHH!” He yelled, slapping his own arse hard with each word. “AHH! HAAAAAAA! SHIT! AHHH!”  
  
Lost in his own performance, Izaya failed to notice the door opening and a terrified masseuse entering.  
  
“OHH YEAH! AHHHH!”  
  
_SLAP!  
  
SLAP!  
  
SLAP!  
  
_ “O-Orihara-sa-”  
  
“RIGHT THERE! OH SHIT!”  
  
_SLAP!  
  
SLAP!  
  
_ “Oriha-”  
  
_SLAP!  
  
_ “HAAAA!”  
  
“ORIHARA-SAN!”  
  
_SLAP!_  
  
Izaya looked up from the table and made eye contact with the red faced young man who was in front of him. Silence engulfed the room as the informant took a moment to digest the situation.  
  
“Ah, hello.” He replied evenly, flashing his most professional smile. “It would appear that I’m already relaxed enough, so I won’t be requiring your services today after all.”  
  
The masseuse opened his mouth as if to speak before changing his mind, simply nodding before he exited the room. As the door clicked shut, Izaya buried his face into the table and scrunched his eyes closed.  
  
“I really, really, REALLY HATE YOU, SHIZU-CHAN!”

  
  
  
  
  
  


**

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Excuse me a moment.” Kasuka said as his phone began to ring, leaving the room before he answered it.  
  
“Is that you, brother?”  
  
_“Uh, hi Kasuka. It is.”_ Shizuo replied, _“I’m not bothering you am I?”_  
  
“I’m on a break at the moment. Are you calling from a pay phone?”  
  
_“Yeah, my phone got wet… How’d you know it was me?”_  
  
“Who else would call from Miyazaki?”  
  
Shizuo chuckled, “ _I guess you’re right. You really did get all the brains, eh?_ ”  
  
“You’re smart too, brother.” Kasuka responded honestly. Kasuka believed that intelligence came in many different forms and that the fact that his brother had done poorly in school did not accurately reflect his intelligence. “Is everything alright?”  
  
_“Uh… Yeah, I guess it is….”  
  
_ “Did Orihara-san do something?”  
  
Shizuo sighed heavily. _“I… don’t know. He says he isn’t doing anything and I don’t think he’d have time to anyway, but I just… I’ve got this feeling, you know? Like he’s doing something shitty…”  
  
_ “I see.”  
  
_“I know I shouldn’t be askin’ you this, but… do you know if he’s done anything in ‘bukuro? Yours is the only number I remember, so I can’t ask anyone else…”  
  
_ “I don’t believe that Orihara-san has done anything, brother.”  
  
_“Right…”  
  
_ “Brother, I think you should trust Orihara-san.” Kasuka replied after a pause, “I don’t believe he’d do anything to harm you currently.”  
  
_“He tried to drown me!”_  
  
“But you’re alive.”  
  
_“Tch, I guess…”_ Shizuo groaned with frustration, _“Do you really think he’s not scheming anything?”_  
  
“From what I know about Orihara-san, he is most definitely scheming. However, I don’t think he’s actively doing anything. You should try to relax, you deserve a holiday. Are you having fun with Orihara-san?”  
  
_“…yeah.”  
_  
“Then please do not worry. If something happens, I’ll contact you immediately.”  
  
_“As long as you promise. And stay safe, alright?”  
  
_ “You too. Goodbye, brother.”  
  
_“Bye.”_    
  
Kasuka ended the call and stuffed the phone into his pocket. He took a breath before walking back into the lounge room.  
  
“I apologise for the interruption.” He spoke quietly, seating himself on the couch beside Ruri.  
  
“That’s alright, Kasuka-kun. It was nice to speak to Hijiribe-chan when there’s no blood involved.” Shinra replied happily, “That wasn’t your brother by any chance?”  
  
“No, I’m afraid I haven’t heard from him since he departed.” Kasuka lied effortlessly, though Ruri did give him a curious look. “I am sure he is fine, I doubt that Orihara-san would do anything to him when they’re so far from home.”  
  
“Yes, yes, you’re probably right.” Shinra replied, though it looked as though he wanted to say more on the topic. “Well, thank you for meeting with me in any case. I’m sure your brother would have beaten me to death if I didn’t warn you about the current situation.”  
  
“Thank you for the warning, and I apologise for my brother’s behaviour. He does mean well.”  
  
“There’s nothing to apologise for, I get worse beatings from my future wife. There’s nothing better than sneaking into the shower and being punched in the solar-plexus…”  
  
“I see.” Kasuka stood up from the couch and Ruri followed suit. “Thank you for the tea, Kishitani-san, but Ruri-san and I must be leaving.”  
  
“Of course, of course. I have a patient I must check up on as well.” Shinra said as he walked them to the door. “If either of you need anything, please don’t hesitate to call.”  
  
The quiet pair nodded and left, making their way to the elevator. As the steel doors closed behind them, Ruri broke her silence.  
  
“That was your brother on the phone.”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Why did you lie about it?” She asked, “Aren’t you worried about him? Did you tell him what’s happening here?”  
  
“No, I did not.” Kasuka replied. He turned to face Ruri, deciding to tell her his reasoning. “Brother is fine and will be fine, Orihara-san will make sure to protect him. They both need a break from Ikebukuro and though I’m certain Orihara-san is perfectly aware of what is happening here currently, I agree with him. Brother does not need to know.”  
  
“But…” Ruri started, unsure of what to say. Izaya was dangerous, perhaps even more dangerous than the blonde with super human strength. The informant was sneaky and didn’t care about who he hurt, whereas the blonde seemed to try and restrain himself. “How can you trust him?”  
  
Kasuka blinked at the question, startling Ruri. It was the closest thing she’d seen to a change of expression. “Because brother does.”  
  
“Didn’t they try to kill each other for years?”  
  
“Yes, but I have met Orihara-san and I trust brothers analysis. I do not believe that Orihara-san is capable of hurting my brother anymore, and would in fact protect him.”  
  
“That’s…” Ruri shook her head, thoughts interrupted by the ding of the elevator and the doors sliding open. As they departed the lift and made their way to the carpark, he tried to find a way to express herself. “Why wouldn’t you just tell your brother about what’s happening and let him decide for himself?”  
  
“It’s not my place to tell him, and I don’t believe that Orihara-san is behind any of this.” He replied as he unlocked the car door. “If he was, I would have mentioned it.”  
  
Ruri entered the car and closed the door behind her. She still didn’t understand, but she often found herself confused when it came to the Heiwajima brothers. It might be easier for her to simply trust that Kasuka knew what was best for his brother.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

The van gang had left Russia Sushi and began driving around the streets of Ikebukuro aimlessly. They had no clear destination in mind, but it was better to think and drive than it was to sit in one place doing nothing. The passengers in the back were strangely silent, eyes aimed out the window as if searching for something in the darkness outside.  
  
“What the fuck?” Togusa yelled, surprising everyone as he swerved hard down an alley and narrowly missing the beaten up van that had attempted to collide with them. “Bastards!”  
  
“Togusa, don’t do anythi-” Kadota tried, cut off when the van came to an abrupt halt.  
  
“What’s going on?” Walker asked as he undid his seatbelt and slid his backpack onto his shoulders.  
  
“I think Togusacchi got us blocked in,” Erika replied, spinning in her seat “They’ve blocked us in from the back.”  
  
“Doesn’t look like there’s enough room to squeeze past them without scraping the van.” Kadota added, nervously looking at Togusa. The van was precious to the man, and he knew they’d be getting out to settle this with violence instead of risking the paint work again.  
  
“Bastards…” Togusa growled, putting the van into neutral and pulling on the handbrake. He didn’t want to turn off the ignition just yet, not until they understood the situation.  
  
They watched as at least twenty men made their way toward the van, slipping through the cracks of the blockade. They were carrying crude weapons and laughing amongst themselves.  
  
“Come out and play!”  
  
“Let’s see you psychos fight all of us!”  
  
Walker frowned, “Those insults aren’t inspired at all.”  
  
“We really should show them some manga, don’t you think?” Erika replied, her voice tinged with something dark.  
  
“You two stay inside for now.” Kadota commanded. The last thing he needed was to stop those two from killing the idiots outside. He got out of the vehicle and closed the door behind him, raising his hands out beside him. “I think you’ve got the wrong people guys, we were just on our way home.”  
  
His statement was met with leers and more laughter. “Ka-do-ta! It’s time you got your arse beat!”  
  
“Any reason why?” He frowned.  
  
“You’re a wanted man!” Another idiot replied, “We wanted one of the chicks, but we found you first. Don’t worry, we won’t kill you or nothin’.”  
  
Kadota dropped his hands, eyes scanning the area quickly. He nodded at Togusa and opened the car door. “No thanks, I think I’ll pass.”  
  
The jeers continued as he slammed the door. “There’s over twenty, I think we’re going to need a plan.”  
  
“How about if I-”  
  
“No fires, you might blow up the van.” Togusa said, cutting off Walker. “Looks like we’re going to have to drive through.”  
  
“Looks like it.”  
  
Togusa released the handbrake and took the van out of neutral as his eyes searched for the best path out of there. No matter how he looked at it, there was going to be blood and scratches all over the van.  
  
He sighed and put the van into first, preparing to drive when-  
  
“What?!”  
  
The thugs who had been slowly approaching the van suddenly stopped and began to fight each other. The van gang watched in shock, not entirely sure of what was happening.  
  
“Their eyes…” Togusa stated, surprised at how many had bright red eyes.  
  
“Do you think Anri-chan is doing this?” Erika asked no one in particular, “I’ll… send her a message.”  
  
The fight was short lived, with those who were knocked down standing up shortly after, eyes glowing as red as their opponents. When the violence stopped, a young man stepped toward the passenger side door of the van.  
  
“Will you be fighting?” He asked in a monotone voice.  
  
“We will only defend ourselves.” Kadota replied. “We don’t start fights, we only finish them.”  
  
“Mother doesn’t want any fighting.” The young man replied. All at once, his red eyed siblings began to slink toward the van. “We’ll have to stop you now.”  
  
“Togusa…”  
  
“Yeah.” Togusa replied, angling the car toward the thin gap and accelerating. They had expected bodies to fly up against the windscreen and to hear metal scraping, but were greeted with nothing but the sound of the engine.  
  
“It’s the black rider!” Walker yelled out excitedly, watching as the car blocking their path and Saika’s children were pulled into the air by what looked like a black rope.  
  
The van sped out of the alleyway and toward Shinra’s apartment. It was a safe bet that Celty would follow them there and it wasn’t safe enough to park on the street.  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**

 

 

 

 

 

  
“How was the massage?” Shizuo asked his annoyed looking flea. He’d expected to have to carry the informant back to the hotel, assuming he’d be too lazy and relaxed to walk by himself. Instead, he looked tenser than ever.  
  
“Why do you care?” Izaya spat. “How was your soak?”  
  
“Oh uh, I left after you did.” Shizuo scratched the back of his neck, getting the distinct feeling that he was in trouble for something but had no idea what he’d done. “Listen, flea… About you scheming and stuff…”  
  
“For the last time, I am _not_ doing _anything!_ ” Izaya yelled, exasperated “I don’t care if you believe me or not but I am getting sick and tired of having to defend myself!”  
  
“Yeah uh, I believe you, I guess.”  
  
“What?” Izaya had definitely not expected that.  
  
“Look, you’re a shitty flea and you’re always sneaking around and messin’ with people’s heads, but you’re usually pretty open about it, and I guess you haven’t had time or whatever…” Shizuo mumbled. No matter how much he cared for Izaya, he would never come to enjoy saying these sorts of things. “That’s not to say I trust you or anything, just… I’ll believe you if you say you aren’t doing anything in ‘bukuro right now.”  
  
“I’m really not doing anything.” Izaya replied, unable to think of anything else to say. He had a few snarky comments resting on his tongue but they didn’t seem appropriate.  
  
“Yeah…” Shizuo shrugged, feeling far too awkward before remembering the drink in his hands. “Oh, I got you this. Figured you might be tired.”  
  
Izaya took the drink from Shizuo’s hands, “Iced coffee?”  
  
“Yeah, it’s got that fake milk and stuff how you like it.”  
  
Izaya took a cautious sip. “This is exactly how I like it.”  
  
“Dunno why, after you’re done with it its barely coffee anymore.” Shizuo replied, “Anyway, let’s go. I’m tired.”  
  
“You remembered all the extras…” Izaya thought aloud, linking fingers with the blonde.  
  
“Yeah, so?” Shizuo replied slightly annoyed, “I’m not as stupid as you think.”  
  
Izaya chuckled to himself and took another sip. It was stupid, really, to feel this happy over a simple drink. It made no sense to feel giddy just because Shizuo remembered exactly how he liked it, or because Shizuo went out of his way to buy it for him. It had to be the first time that someone had ever remembered how he liked something. Not even Namie paid attention to his tastes.  
  
“Sure it tastes alright?” Shizuo asked, curious as to why his flea wasn’t yapping on like he usually did.  
  
“Did you poison it?” Izaya responded.  
  
“Tch, I’m not you.” The blonde smiled. “Truth telling stuff might be better though.”  
  
“I thought you trusted me now?”  
  
“About ‘bukuro right now, but there are other things I’d like you to be honest about.”  
  
“You pervert.” Izaya replied. “Race you back to the hotel!”  
  
“Oi!” Shizuo yelled as he watched the brunette take off, still managing to drink his coffee. “STOP RUNNING LOUSE!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, sorry for the late update! I was suffering from writers block D: 
> 
> Anyway, there will be another chapter (possibly two, one short and one regular size) uploaded tomorrow that will finish off the 'day'. I had actually wanted to write more to this chapter, but this was already 7k long so I decided against it.
> 
> This was also the first time I wrote anything remotely sexual, which I was going to abstain from but... Well, I apologise for my awful smut-skills. There'll probably be a bit more in upcoming chapters, so I'll hopefully get a bit better at it! 
> 
> Anyway, thank you for reading! Feel free to criticise or point out typos for me :D


	20. Coward.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the past, Shizuo hides.
> 
> In the present, Shinra and Celty talk.

Mikado stared at the laptop in disbelief, hoping that the information would somehow change. Somehow, the Slasher had returned and reports were flooding in from all over the city. He typed furiously, sending out panicked commands in an attempt to still the violence. It seemed to be useless though, as if the enemy were always two steps ahead.  
  
By the time Shinra had knocked on his door he was a mess, frustrated and in denial. He’d asked if he could return home but the doctor had merely laughed, apologising and saying that he’d underestimated Mikado’s wounds. It didn’t look as though he’d be able to leave any time soon after all.  
  
Sighing, Mikado closed the laptop and stared at the ceiling. This was his responsibility and he had to be better than this. He was the leader of the biggest gang in the city and had the lives and futures of its members riding on his shoulders. He couldn’t be weak, and if he couldn’t find Izaya and Shizuo and get some much needed information, then he’d have to make do.  
  
He was pulled away from his thoughts when raised voices could be heard from the lounge room. He strained his ears to listen but was unable to hear anything clearly. Deciding he needed to clear his head, he pulled himself off the bed and out of the room.  
  
“…that’s when Celty appeared. We figured it’d be better to regroup here after that, so we could thank her properly.” Kadota said to a spell bound Shinra.  
  
“I’m sorry I missed it, I love watching my Celty in action.” The doctor replied happily. “As long as she doesn’t bring any of them home.”  
  
“Don’t worry, Shinracchi! Yours is a love that can never be broken!” Erika said, cheering the doctor up considerably before noticing the high schooler. “Mikapon! How are you feeling?”  
  
“Oh uh, fine I guess…” Mikado replied, “Did something happen?”  
  
The group fell into a conspiratorial silence at the question. They were unsure as to whether Mikado knew of Anri’s secret and were unwilling to breach her trust.  
  
“They’re fine, Mikado-kun. It looks like they ran into some trouble but Celty saved them!” Shinra said, deciding to break the silence first. “You really shouldn’t be out of bed.”  
  
“Oh.”  
  
“We’ll help you back into the room!” Walker said, dragging Erika toward the teenager. “We’ll even keep you company!” The two otakus dragged an unwilling Mikado back into the makeshift clinic, Erika giving Kadota a pointed look through the gap in the door before she closed it.  
  
“Does he know?” Kadota asked.  
  
“No, he doesn’t know about Anri-chan yet,” the doctor replied, playing with his empty tea cup. “Though it would seem he has his suspicions.”  
  
“Have you talked about this with Celty yet? She’s bound to be piecing it together now.”  
  
“I haven’t, but I expect that she’ll demand answers when she gets home tonight.” Shinra put the cup on the coffee table and ran a hand through his hair. “It would be better to work everything out before that happens.”  
  
“We really should find Izaya-san and Shizuo-san.” Togusa added, “It’s as though they’ve fallen off the face of the Earth.”  
  
“I’m afraid I haven’t had much luck either. I did speak with his brother earlier, but he _said_ that he hadn’t heard from Shizuo-kun.”  
  
“You make it sound as if you don’t believe him.” Kadota noted.  
  
Shinra smiled at the accusation, “Kasuka-kun is impossible to read, so I wouldn’t be able to say for sure if he was lying, unfortunately.”  
  
“But you think he is.”  
  
“Yes, I do. Though he must have a reason if he is, so it might be better to let it go for now. Have you heard anything about either of those idiots?”  
  
 Togusa and Kadota shared a look, recalling the conversation they had earlier with a certain Yakuza.  
  
“I’ll make more tea while you think about how to explain.”

  
  
  
  
  


**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ Anri-chan! You wouldn’t be around Ikebukuro right now by any chance? ]  
  
Anri read the message, deciding to reply to Erika later. It didn’t seem urgent and she wasn’t in the mood for socialising with the hyperactive woman. She snapped her phone shut just as another message came through.  
  
[ Anri, would it be possible for us to meet? Tell me where you are and I’ll come find you right now. ]  
  
That was strange. Celty rarely asked to meet with Anri, the two usually conversing through a chatroom on the internet instead. Despite not wanting to see anyone, the girl replied to the message with her location and leaned against a wall. A few moments later, she heard the familiar sound of Shooter’s engine and saw the black rider pull up in front of her.  
  
“Um, is everything okay?” She asked.  
  
Celty shook her helmet and typed on her PDA. [ Are you hurt? ]  
  
“No…”  
  
[ Let’s go to Shinra’s. I think we should talk. ] Celty formed a helmet from shadows and held it out to the teenager who took refused to move.   
  
[ Would you prefer to speak here first? ]  
  
The girl nodded. “What do we need to talk about?”  
  
The helmet disappeared and the rider began typing her message slowly, looking up at the bespectacled girl occasionally.

 

[ Some of Saika’s children tried to attack Kadota, Erika, and that group tonight. ]

 

[ Don’t worry, I stopped them before anyone got hurt. ]

 

[ But I wanted to know if you knew about it. ]

 

“I don’t know about it but I can ask…” Anri looked at her feet, clenching her fists. This hadn’t been what she’d wanted. “I asked them to stop the violence, so I don’t think they’d be attacking people on their own.”  
  
Celty nodded. [ Did something else happen? You don’t seem like yourself. ]

 

The teenager flinched.

 

[ Please tell me so I can help you! ]

 

“It’s okay… I’m taking care of it.” She replied, still refusing to look at the dullahan.  
  
Celty’s shoulders rose and fell as if she were sighing. [ Why don’t you come home with me. We can talk about this later. ]  
  
Seeing no other option, Anri nodded and accepted the newly made helmet before climbing onto Shooter.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_A year and two months earlier_ **

****

****

****

****

****

****

  
Heiwajima Shizuo was not a man that many would describe to be a coward. He had inhuman strength, a short temper, and a good moral compass. He became angry because of many things and never backed away from a fight, not even if he was outnumbered and the odds of success were low. Brave, crazy, violent, strong, and angry were words commonly used to describe him, even by those who knew him well.  
  
Shizuo, though, would never describe himself that way. He thought words such as weak, frightened, unlovable, monster, dangerous, and wild were a better fit. He thought himself weak because he couldn’t get a handle on his temper, frightened because he was always one step away from hurting those he cared for even when he sought to protect them. Unlovable because he was too dangerous to get close to, a monster because of his strength, dangerous and wild because of how unpredictable he was.

 

He described himself to be a coward. Too afraid to love or be loved, terrified of being happy in case it was stolen away from him. He never felt safe, never felt trusted or _warm_. He’d decided long ago that he’d give up on the idea of a normal life, settling instead for attempting to reduce the destruction he caused. He wanted peace, even if he were alone. He didn’t want to hurt anyone anymore.

 

That’s why he was terrified of the brunette who was thrusting inside of him. He was afraid of the soft kisses and gentle touches, the safety and warmth and _love._ He didn’t deserve this, not the building in his stomach as he approached orgasm or the look on Izaya’s face that was reserved just for him. It was too much and he wanted nothing more than to close his eyes and ignore the peace he felt in case it were nothing more than a dream, but Izaya had told him to keep his eyes open.  
  
He watched as Izaya bit his lower lip and stifled a deep noise coming from his throat before slinging Shizuo’s left leg over his shoulder. He felt thin fingers softly pressing into his hips and Izaya’s stomach rubbing against his erection as he leant forward to press his lips against Shizuo’s.  
  
Shizuo was terrified that he’d never be able to feel this again if he made the wrong move, but the reassuring looks and the feeling as though he was being _cherished_ overwhelmed him. He wrapped his arms around the brunette, softly keeping him in place.  
  
“ _Izaya_ …” he panted, the sensations becoming too much and pushing him to the edge. “Say my name again.”  
  
Izaya moved his lips away from Shizuo’s neck and looked him in the eye. “ _Shizuo_.”  
  
Shizuo’s eyes widened and he shuddered, unable to keep himself together. His hold on Izaya strengthened and he pulled the informant closer as he came, walls clenching tightly around the brunette. “ _Izaya!_ ”  
  
“Shit! Shizu-ch- _ah_!” Izaya stuttered, surprised at the reaction in the blonde. He slammed himself into the debt collector another two times before succumbing to his own climax. Collapsing on top of his boyfriend, he tried to catch his breath. “Shit.”  
  
“…Sorry.” Shizuo mumbled, loosening his hold on his flea and burying his head into his neck, embarrassed with himself.  
  
“Don’t apologise, you’re just so…” Izaya fought to find the right words, “When you say my name like _that_ , and you look like _that_ …”  
  
“…”  
  
“Don’t be embarrassed, Shizu-chan.” Izaya giggled as he tried to escape Shizuo’s arms so he could see his face.  
  
“’m not…” the blonde mumbled as he tightened his grip again slightly.  
  
“Let me see your face, don’t be such a coward!”  
  
“Tch!”  
  
Shizuo released his arms suddenly, causing the struggling captive to flail and fall off him. Landing beside him on the bed, Izaya turned his head just in time to watch as Shizuo pulled the blankets over most of his face, leaving a pair of hazel eyes to peer out over the top.  
  
“You’re such a child,” Izaya teased as he tried to pull the blankets away from the blonde’s face. “Don’t be so embarrassed.”  
  
“I already told you, I’m not embarrassed!” Shizuo huffed again, though his red ears seemed to imply that he was lying.  
  
“Okay, okay.” The brunette said as he crawled to the other end of the bed. Shizuo watched him curiously as he lifted up the blankets at the bottom of the bed and wriggled himself underneath them. “Mind if I join you?”  
  
Not waiting for a response, Izaya pushed himself up the bed and toward the embarrassed blonde, worming his way between Shizuo’s face and the blankets. Snuggling against the firm tanned body, he pulled Shizuo’s arm down so that it rested against his waist.  
  
“Too sneaky.” Shizuo pouted, kissing his flea on the forehead and closing his eyes.  
  
He was a coward, too afraid to be cherished like this and too afraid to be alone. This tiny, scheming, fragile creature in his arms could be broken so easily, but was possibly the only person on the planet capable of killing him. Neither of them should exist, which was probably why they found each other. The thought was comforting, somehow, and he felt himself smile as he fell asleep. As long as it was with Izaya, it would probably be fine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You should shower before you get into bed,” Izaya said, flopping onto the mattress. “I’m guessing you probably didn’t at the onsen, and you’re all sweaty after that run. You’re like an old man.”  
  
“Tch,” Shizuo replied indignantly, pulling off his shirt and throwing it at his parasite. “Old men don’t look like this.”  
  
“You probably will, if you age at all.” Izaya teased, moving the shirt from his face. “I’m so lucky, I’ll be having sex with the body of a twenty-year-old even when I’m old and grey.”  
  
“Like you’d live past forty.”  
  
“How mean, are you saying you wouldn’t protect me?”  
  
Shizuo smirked, “I’d probably be the one who kills ya.”  
  
“How very true, it’s not like anyone else would be able to catch me I suppose.”  
  
“So you finally admit that I caught you?” Shizuo replied, stepping out of his pants and walking toward his boyfriend. “It’s about time.”  
  
“I _never_ said that.” Izaya replied in a bored voice, “I don’t know why you keep insisting that you did. I simply fell into your arms, which was part of my plan.”  
  
“And that’s not catching you?” Shizuo asked. He kneeled between Izaya’s legs and placed a hand on either side of the informant’s body. “I think you’re lying.”

 

“I fell onto you, but you never managed to chase me and catch me so it doesn’t count.”  
  
“I don’t know about that…” Shizuo used a hand to drag Izaya’s shirt slowly up his body, bending down to lick the exposed skin. “I think I caught you that night.”  
  
“I alre-eady explained that, idio-haa.” Izaya whispered, lost in the sensation. No matter how slight the touch, Shizuo could always break him apart and leave him bare. It was emasculating to a point, as he feared he reacted like an innocent virgin. Shizuo, however, definitely didn’t seem to see it that way and never used it against him outside of their private life.  
  
“If I didn’t catch you, you wouldn’t be here now, flea.” Shizuo continued, his voice teasing before he abruptly pulled away. “So since I _haven’t_ caught you, I’ll go have a shower.” He jumped off the bed quickly and walked into the bathroom, a massive grin on his face when he heard the brunette curse at him in a language he couldn’t pinpoint.  
  
Izaya stayed flat on the bed as he ripped his shirt down and crossed his arms angrily. His beast was too cocky for his liking, and he’d be willing to bet Celty’s head that he’d be attacked by Shizuo as soon as he left the shower.  
  
“You’re really too much, Shizu-chan.” He sighed to the empty room, listening to the water running. He closed his eyes and tried to relax while he still could. Tomorrow, he expected that he’d become quite busy and he wanted to savour every moment of this domestic bliss while he still could. He faded in and out of consciousness as he waited for Shizuo, smiling to himself in the knowledge that Shizuo would never make him wait for long.  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The van gang had already left by the time Anri and Celty arrived home, with Shinra passing along their thanks to Celty as soon as she stepped inside. Anri had excused herself almost immediately, going to bed early in order to escape further questions. The women hadn’t exchanged a word since Anri was picked up, with Celty assuming that Anri would open up once she felt more comfortable.  
  
As it was, Shinra and Celty were sitting on the balcony enjoying the cool summer breeze as it swept through the evening as they discussed recent events.  
  
[ So Kadota ran into the Awakusu-kai at Izaya’s apartment? ] She asked after being filled in on the situation.  
  
“It looks that way.” Shinra replied.  
  
[ And he said the gang seemed to be looking for them when they were attacked? ]  
  
“Mm.”  
  
[ Was it the same people who attacked Mikado? ]  
  
“I don’t think so, but it could be related.”  
  
[ …Are you sure Izaya is really on holiday? ]  
  
Shinra laughed at the words. “Yes, I’m quite sure, especially after speaking with Kasuka-kun tonight.”  
  
Celty nodded slightly. [ Why didn’t you tell me about this before? I’ve already seen the rumours. ]  
  
“I didn’t want you to worry until we had more information. I can’t risk you running off to help everyone and getting hurt!”  
  
Smoke puffed out of Celty’s neck and Shinra apologised, understanding that she was frowning. “You’re far too sweet, Celty. You always go off to rescue everyone, just like a beautiful knight!”  
  
The dullahan ignored the comment, [ I’ll ask Shiki if he knows anything tomorrow. ]  
  
“It might be a good idea, especially if they were at Izaya’s office today.”  
  
[ What should we do about Mikado and Anri? They’re both trying to fix this but they’re making it worse. ]  
  
Shinra hummed to himself, “I think we should leave it for now. It isn’t our place to share their secrets, and I expect it will be sorted tomorrow. I don’t think Anri-chan would let Saika’s children wander around attacking people if she knew about it.”  
  
[ You’re right, I’ll talk to her about it in the morning. ]  
  
“You’re so understanding, Celty! We really are so lucky to be able to be in your- ow!”  
  
[ Stop saying such ridiculous things! ]

“I’m sorry! I just can’t stop my love!” The doctor grinned, “Back to the topic though, I suspect that there is someone behind all of this. No, not Izaya.”  
  
[ Who? ]  
  
“I’m sure we’ll find out sooner rather than later.” He frowned, “I think I’d prefer Izaya though.”  
  
Celty didn’t respond, though she shared the sentiment. It’s always better to know your enemies, and having the culprit a mystery only made things feel far more ominous.  
  
“We’ll think about it in the morning. Let’s go to bed.” Shinra said as he held out a hand, pulling his lover inside. No matter how awful things got, he’d be alright so long as he was by her side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this little chapter! I'm already working on the next one, but I wanted to finish the 'day' first. Thank you all for reading :D


	21. TS:SLC18970602

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the past, Shizuo is content.
> 
> In the present, Shizuo orders breakfast. Meanwhile in Ikebukuro, Mikado learns just how similar Shinra is to Izaya.

Namie had been enjoying her morning at home, lazily sipping lukewarm coffee and solving a crossword, when she was rudely interrupted by a knock on her door. The postman, whom she had never met before today, gave her a sheepish look as he handed her a postcard.  
  
“Do you always deliver mail to the door?” She asked coldly, though she wasn’t very interested in the answer.  
  
“I’m sorry ma’am, I don’t usually look at the mail but it caught my eye.” He replied nervously, “It just looked so unusual, I had to ask about it.”  
  
Namie glanced at the message, scowling as she read it. “It’s just a card from a mentally-disabled child I babysit occasionally.” She replied before closing the door in the postman’s confused face.  
  
Honestly, that _man_ she was forced to work for even had the audacity to invade her home. Of course, she was supposed to be at the office right now but the know-it-all had _of course_ realised she’d be skipping work. She wandered over to her laptop and logged into a specific chat room.

  
**Yagiri Namie, reborn!  
  
**

**  
Tsukumoya Shinichi  
** Good morning, Namie-san. To what do I owe the pleasure?

 

**Yagiri Namie**

That idiot has a message for you.

**Yagiri Namie**

SLC18970602

**Tsukumoya Shinichi  
** Thank you very much, Namie-san. Are you aware of what it means?

 

**Yagiri Namie**

I don’t need to know the details to understand it’s probably as pompous and idiotic as he is.

 **Tsukumoya Shinichi  
** Your assessment is correct, it is pretentious indeed. You’re a very patient woman for working with him.

 

**Yagiri Namie**

Patience doesn’t begin to describe it.

 

 **Tsukumoya Shinichi  
** I can imagine.  
  
**Tsukumoya Shinichi  
** While you are here, would I be able to offer you some advice?

 

**Yagiri Namie**

As long as you bill it to my employer.  
  
**Tsukumoya Shinichi  
** I am aware that your office was targeted yesterday. In light of that, I think you should refrain from working until Orihara has returned. Perhaps you could take a trip yourself?

 

**Yagiri Namie**

Any reason why I should?  
**  
Tsukumoya Shinichi  
** Is there any reason why you shouldn’t?

 

**Yagiri Namie**

Fair enough. Goodbye, Tsukumoya-san.  
  
**Yagiri Namie, confirmed dead!  
**

Namie logged out of the chatroom and closed her laptop. Izaya had ordered her to continue working no matter what she heard, but that didn’t mean that she had to. For all she knew, the man was dead in a ditch somewhere and the office had already been attacked.  
  
Making up her mind, she picked up her phone and sent a message to her brother. Maybe he’d be interested in a trip to Hokkaido with her if she paid for everything.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

Izaya awoke to the feeling of a heavy pressure on his chest, making it hard to breath. He cracked open an eye, squinting through the sunlight that shone through the open windows and spied a blonde mop of hair resting on his chest whilst the rest of him clung to Izaya like he were a lift raft.  
  
“Shizu-chan, you’re too heavy.” He whined, making no real attempt to dislodge the mass. Sighing, he lazily threaded his fingers through the golden hair and closed his eye. “You’re so clingy, like a giant puppy.”  
  
He shifted under the covers, feeling his bare skin rub against the ex-bartenders. He couldn’t remember Shizuo getting out of the shower the night before, so he reasoned that he’d fallen asleep at some point and Shizuo had stripped the both of them before tucking him into bed. Izaya didn’t enjoy sleeping naked as he often kept unusual hours, but whenever he fell asleep first he usually woke up this way.  
  
“You’re just like a wild beast, sleeping naked in a pile to conserve heat.” He whispered to the blonde. Izaya leaned his head down and kissed his forehead lightly before slowly extricating himself from his boyfriend’s heavy limbs.  
  
Turning on his phone, he stepped into the bathroom quietly and locked the door. By the time he’d stripped off and set the temperature in the shower, his phone had come to life and he checked it quickly.  
  
[ You might prefer some privacy today, Orihara Yumcha. ]  
  
Izaya frowned at the nickname and turned his phone onto vibrate before stepping into the shower. He was glad that Namie had passed his message onto Tsukumoya, but hated that nickname more than he cared to admit. It was bad enough that he was forced to deal with such a disagreeable and anonymous informant, but the nickname was simply too much.  
  
_‘I wonder if that’s how Shizu-chan feels whenever I call him Shizu-chan...’_

 

Getting ready in no time at all, Izaya left the bathroom after towel drying his hair and collected the few things he’d need for the day. He was just about to leave when he stopped himself, turning around to watch the blonde sleep. It was stupid, really, but he was almost overpowered by the urge to drop what he was doing and climb back into bed.  
  
Shizuo always had that effect on him, forcing well thought out plans go to ruin and making the informant feel as though he had no control over anything. Even now when they’d been together for over a year, those feelings were still powerful and Izaya wondered if he’d ever get bored of his monster.  
  
He tiptoed over to the bed and brushed the hair tenderly away from Shizuo’s eyes with his thumb. Leaning down, he kissed the uncovered forehead and smelled his hair before backing away. “You’ll be the death of me, Heiwajima Shizuo.”

He left the room quickly and made his way to the fire escape, calling a nearby hotel as he left the building. Using one of his aliases, he booked another room and hailed a taxi. He didn’t want to leave Shizuo for very long, so he’d have to hurry and hope that everything was going the way he’d predicted. If it didn’t, things could get complicated very quickly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_A year and two months earlier_ **

****

****

****

****

****

****

  
“I fell asleep…” Shizuo mumbled to himself, stretching out his limbs. He felt a soft twinge of pain in a delicate area, though it wasn’t entirely unpleasant. He smiled at the memory before reality hit him.  
  
He’d had sex with Orihara Izaya, and he’d bottomed.  
  
“Shit.”  
  
His eyes sprung open and searched the bed, his heart skipping a beat after finding the informant sleeping peacefully beside him. One of Shizuo’s arms was being used as a pillow and the brunette looked almost innocent as he dozed.  
  
Shizuo carefully used his free hand to lift the sheets and pull them away from the informant, who shivered at the sudden chill and snuggled himself closer to the blonde. Shizuo ran his eyes slowly over the expanse of naked skin, checking for protruding bones and discolorations. After finding only a small amount of bruising, he covered his flea with a sigh of relief.  
  
He hadn’t killed anyone despite losing his virginity. It was the best news he’d ever heard.  
  
“You dumbass,” he whispered, “How insane are you to think sleeping with me was a good idea, eh? I thought you were meant to be smart.”  
  
The only reply he was given was a deep sigh and Izaya smacking his lips together sleepily. Shizuo traced a finger down Izaya’s body, starting with his shoulder and slowly making his way along the muscular arm, thin waist and rise of a hip.  
  
“Never thought it’d be you, flea, but I’m glad it is.” He whispered, knowing full well he couldn’t be heard. “I know I’m a monster, but it’s like you don’t care about it even if you point it out all the damn time. I dunno if it’s because you’ve got a death wish or if you trust me, but…”  
  
He stopped tracing shapes on the informant’s hips with his finger, studying his face closely. “I’ll never hurt you, even if it kills me. I’ll make sure I can always protect you even if you don’t want me to. I can’t say this shit when you’re awake because you’re so annoying and you’d get all prissy about it, but I need to tell you, you know? I’ll always protect you and I’ll learn how to control this better. Just… don’t go, alright? Even if I scare you, just stay for a bit longer.”  
  
He sighed deeply, knowing that he’d do everything in his power to live up to his promise. He kissed the tip of Izaya’s nose lightly before wrapping both arms around him and bringing him in for a suffocating hug. Having said what he’d needed to while his flea slept, he didn’t care if he woke him now.  
  
“Nnngnn, Shizu-chan…” a muffled voice spoke, “Can’t breathe…”  
  
“Not my problem.” Shizuo chuckled, loosening his grip slightly. “How’d you sleep.”  
  
“Fine until you woke me up.”

  
 “I was bored.”  
  
“Then get a hobby.”  
  
“Think I’ve got one now.”  
  
Izaya opened an eye in time to see the wolfish grin on Shizuo’s face. He had a feeling that he’d somehow go from not having enough sex to having far too much. “I’m too tired, come back later.”  
  
“I think I can change your mind.” He teased, before tunnelling under the blankets.  
  
Izaya rolled his eyes and smiled. His idiot beast had woken him when he ripped off the blankets, but he hadn’t the heart to say anything during Shizuo’s little speech. It hadn’t been very original, but it had made him… something. Izaya honestly wasn’t sure there was a word in any of the languages he spoke that could accurately describe how it made him felt.  
  
After hearing what had been said, Izaya decided that the only person who could ever be allowed to harm the idiot between his legs would be him, and he would show no mercy to anyone who tried. The beast was _his_ , and he would make sure that everyone knew it.  
  
“Shizu-chan, did you get lost?” He teased, watching as the blankets moved around suspiciously.  
  
“Just admiring the view, flea.”  
  
“Are you an idiot?” he laughed, feeling a little uncomfortable with the attention.  
  
“Dunno, probably.”  
  
He felt calloused fingers run along his naked skin, exploring his thighs and legs. Izaya relaxed into the feeling, no longer having the energy to care about who was looking where. “Don’t be a tease.”  
  
The hands moved higher, brushing past his half-hard erection and causing him to jump a little in surprise. He heard a throaty laugh and glared at the lump under the blankets.  
  
“I like it when you jump around like that.”  
  
“Don’t be so crass.” He replied, whacking the lump half-heartedly.  
  
“Oi!”  
  
“My mistake, I thought you were a mosquito.”  
  
“Only insect around here is you!” Shizuo growled, “That coulda killed me, you know!”  
  
“A light tap on the head could kill _you?_ ” Izaya sneered, “If I had known that earlier, I wouldn’t have run from you for so long!”  
  
“Laugh all you want, louse.” Shizuo muttered with a voice tinged with anger, hands moving higher and settling on Izaya’s waist, “But if you’re tryin’ to kill me, you shouldn’t complain about what comes next, right?!”  
  
Izaya felt that chill of excitement and anticipation course through his veins when he heard the tone in Shizuo’s voice change. It made him want to laugh and run, and he heard his heart beating in his ears. Knowing he wouldn’t be able to move away in time to avoid his beasts attack, he settled for gluing a smirk to his face instead.  
  
The attack, however, wasn’t painful. It took him a moment to understand that Shizuo wasn’t crushing him but instead tickling him. It was a far worse punishment, as he couldn’t help laughing whilst his dignity was torn away from him.  
  
“Sh-Shizu-chan! S-stop that!”  
  
“Say ‘please’.”  
  
“Shizu-chan!” he managed to shout, holding back as much laughter as he could, “Stop th-that! Pl- ahh!”  
  
Shizuo snickered at the change in Izaya’s voice once he stopped his tickle assault, taking the informant into his mouth instead and trying to mimic what had been done to him earlier. He definitely preferred a quiet louse, and he guessed that this would soon become his favourite way of shutting him up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 **The Slasher is back!** **ヽ** **(** **ﾟ** **Д** **ﾟ** **)** **ﾉ**

**I know! So scary!**

**I’m really starting to miss Shizuo now!**

**Why?**

**Don’t you know? He beat them all up on Slasher Night!**

**By himself? How strong is he?!**

**I thought the Black Biker helped?**

**Nope, I saw it! It was all Shizuo!** **＼** **( >o<)** **ノ**

**Woah…**

**Don’t you turn into one if they cut you?**

**He didn’t!**

**He’s a monster though….**

**Does that mean they’re like zombies?**

**Should we aim for the head?**

**I don’t want to kill anyone!**

**Just hit their heads and run away!** =͟͟͞͞ =͟͟͞͞ ﾍ( ´Д`)ﾉ

**What about the police?**

**Who cares! I don’t want to be a zombie!**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Akabayashi-san, thank you for coming.” Shiki greeted, though his eyes didn’t stray from the document in front of him, “Please take a seat.”  
  
The Red Demon closed the door and walked over to the couch in Shiki’s office, seating himself and crossing his legs. “I’ve always liked this couch.”  
  
“Did you find anything that might be useful when you searched Orihara’s office?”  
  
“Didn’t find anything interesting at all.” He replied, rolling his cane between his fingers, “That’s interesting in itself if you ask me. Did run into two of his acquaintances, but they looked pretty clueless themselves.”  
  
“Will they be a problem?”  
  
“Don’t imagine it. I took the liberty of makin’ them piss their pants.”  
  
“Good.” Shiki mumbled. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. “This doesn’t make sense.”  
  
“That informant kid has a lot of enemies. It’s not strange to think that one of ‘em if stupid enough to try something. As long as they don’t get their hands on our business it should be fine.”  
  
“That seems to be the case, but it’s all a little too convenient. Not to mention the escalation of violence, it’s getting harder to do anything around here.”  
  
“It’s not my area, but from what I’ve heard it looks as though the Dollars and the Slasher are in the middle of a fight. It seems as though both groups started out trying to fend off the colour gangs and it collapsed into whatever this is now.” Akabayashi stated, “It’s only my opinion, but like you said, it all seems a bit too convenient.”  
  
“Especially when you add in Orihara’s sudden absence. It makes all the suspicion fall on him when he isn’t here.” Opening his eyes, he focused on Akabayashi. “Keep your head to the ground and see if you can find anything out, but let’s keep this between us for now.”  
  
Akabayashi nodded and rose from his seat, “Anything else?”  
  
“Our courier will be arriving later in the day for a meeting. Make yourself available for it.”  
  
“For a meeting with a courier?”  
  
“Yes.” Shiki replied, returning to his paperwork. “I have a feeling that you might find it interesting.”  
  
Shiki continued to stare at the paperwork on his desk until Red Demon left, rising to his feet and stretching his arms once he’d heard the door close. Despite being an executive for the Awakusu-kai, Shiki was not a common thug. He’d risen to his position quickly as he’d shown cunning, intelligence, and wisdom beyond his years as a young man.  If circumstances had been different for him, he could have been a police detective or a self-made millionaire.  
  
Which was precisely why he was so frustrated with the current situation. He felt as though all the seemingly unrelated events were somehow connected, but he was too close to see the bigger picture. In addition, he didn’t have as much time as he would have liked to try and figure everything out.  
  
He glared at the paperwork once again and wanted nothing more than to be able to blame his pet informant. Not only had the kid run off without advising him beforehand, he’d picked the worst possible time to do so. The Organised Crime Control Bureau was once again breathing down their necks, demanding more than Shiki was able or willing to give.

 

Two years ago it wouldn’t have been an issue, but given a certain mishap just over two months prior, the negotiations weren’t going as well as Shiki would have liked. They’d lost face due to circumstances completely out of their control and Izaya had been lucky to escape with a stern warning.  
  
“Not like it’s that kids fault.” He mumbled to the empty room. The only reason Izaya had been blamed was because of the unrealistically high standard of work he was usually capable of, but not even he had been able to predict such an occurrence.  
  
Shiki scratched his head and mumbled insults at his work before giving in and sitting himself down once again. That kid wasn’t the only one in Japan capable of working this sort of thing out, and the work wasn’t going to do itself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Orihara Izaya, reborn!  
  
Orihara Izaya**

Did you enjoy my little joke?

 

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

It was mildly amusing but quite conceited, not unlike yourself.

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

SLC18970602: I assume you were referring to Mark Twain, otherwise known as Samuel Longhorne Clemens, who was misquoted in the New York Journal on June 2nd, 1897?  
  
**Orihara Izaya**

I prefer the misquotation to the original. “The report of my death was an exaggeration,” doesn’t have quite the same ring as “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated”.

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

I must say, it’s quite like you to alter the truth to suit your preferences.  
  
**Orihara Izaya**

I don’t see a problem in making things run more smoothly. If the world believes the lie, doesn’t the lie become the truth?

 

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

I don’t suppose you would find a problem with that style of thinking, but not even you can change the past.

 

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

Would you like me to send the information directly to the laptop you’re currently using?

**Orihara Izaya**

Yes, and don’t show off. The fact that I’m using a laptop should be an easy enough deduction, though it was nice of you to organise one for me to use. I won’t even bother asking how you knew I’d be at this hotel.

 

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

You wouldn’t understand my methods even if I explained them to you, though you are incredibly predictable.

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

There should be a folder located on your desktop now. It will be removed in exactly eight hours.  
  
**Orihara Izaya**

Then I’ll take my leave, I’m in no mood for your irritating witticisms.

 

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

Before you do, Orihara…

 

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

Don’t underestimate them this time. I’ve also advised your assistant to take a leave of absence until you return.

**Orihara Izaya**

Your concern is touching, though I resent you giving my employees instructions. It would be wiser for you to stop underestimating me, Tsukumoya.

  
**Orihara Izaya, confirmed dead!**

 

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

That arrogance will kill you before Shizuo ever does.

  
**Tsukumoya Shinichi’s turn!**

**Tsukumoya Shinichi’s turn!**

**Tsukumoya Shinichi’s turn!**

**Tsukumoya Shinichi’s turn!**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**  
  
  
  
  
  
  


“Good morning, Mikado-kun!” Shinra exclaimed, more chipper than anyone had a right to be in the morning, “How did you sleep?”  
  
“Well, thanks…” Mikado lied. He couldn’t remember getting any sleep at all and had only dragged himself away from the laptop when the rumbling in his stomach had become too loud to ignore.  
  
“Good, good. Help yourself to some fruit, the ladies are off chatting so we won’t be treated to a home cooked breakfast today.”  
  
The teenager nodded and walked over to the fruit bowl, picking up a red apple. “Ladies?”  
  
“Oh, you must have been asleep when they got it. Celty brought Anri-chan back here last night.” Shinra answered, politely ignoring the blush that rose to Mikado’s face.  
  
“I see.”  
  
“They’re having a talk at the moment so we should give them some privacy.”  
  
“Ah, okay. I was just going to get something to eat an-”  
  
“Why don’t you take a seat, we can have a chat of our own.” The doctor gestured to the seat at the table beside him and gave Mikado his best smile. Feeling he had no other choice, the teenager stumbled over to the chair.  
  
“Good, good. Are you comfortable?”  
  
“F-fine,”  
  
“Very good! I’ll give you a quick check up and your pain medication when we’re done.”  
  
Mikado felt a chill run down his spine. The doctor hadn’t said anything remotely threatening, but he felt as though he were in a dangerous situation. “Thank you.”  
  
“So! How about we start with what happened when you were beaten up?”  
  
“I t-told you already, I can’t remember what happened.” Mikado stuttered, he had expected Shinra to ask him about the incident again but hadn’t thought it would be so soon. “I think it must have been random…”  
  
“Mikdao-kun, I need you to tell me the truth.”  
  
“It is the truth! I swear!”  
  
The doctor sighed and dug into his pockets, pulling out a full syringe and placing it on the table between them. “Are you sure you don’t want to change your answer?”  
  
Mikado stared at the needle, eyes becoming wide as his mouth dried. “Wh-what’s that?”  
  
“This? Oh, it’s nothing really.” Shinra replied in a nonchalant voice, “Just something to get you to tell the truth.”  
  
“Are you going to inject that into me?”  
  
“I doubt you’d be able to run away if I tried, not with those injuries.” He smiled.  
  
“Will it hurt?”  
  
“Maybe.”  
  
The boy swallowed a mouthful of air, weighing up his options. He’d never been tortured before so he wasn’t sure how long he’d hold up during an interrogation, and since Anri was in the house he didn’t want to scare her. He watched as Shinra lazily pulled the syringe toward him with a finger, rolling it on the table slowly. He didn’t doubt for a second that the childhood friend of Orihara Izaya would be capable of doing something like this.  
  
“Fine! I’ll tell you.” Mikado said in defeat, though his next words were stern and full of courage. “But you have to make sure that Sonohara-san isn’t hurt.”  
  
“Of course, I couldn’t allow one of my Celty’s friends to get injured. You have my word I’ll do everything I can to protect her.”  
  
Mikado nodded and clenched his teeth. He decided to omit the parts that included the Dollars, since the doctor had only asked about the beating he’d endured.  
  
“It wasn’t a random attack, I was targeted.”  
  
“Because you associate with Shizuo-kun and Izaya-kun?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Did they say anything to you before they beat you up?”  
  
Mikado’s hands formed tight fists at the memory. “I’m not the only one they’re looking for. I don’t know who else is on the list, but they mentioned Sonohara-san…”  
  
“And that’s when you cut your knuckles?” Shinra chuckled, “I can’t say I blame you. I’d do the same if they threatened my Celty, even though I doubt I’d be able to do any real damage. Did they say anything else?”  
  
“No…”  
  
“Have you tried to contact Izaya-kun?”  
  
Mikado glanced at the doctor whose smile still hadn’t faltered. “Yes… but he hasn’t responded yet. I told him that he and Shizuo-san should probably keep their distance from Ikebukuro for a while.”  
  
The doctor frowned a bit at that, knowing full well that Izaya would probably double over laughing at the words of the protective boy. “Okay, thank you for telling me. I understand how hard it can be to open up sometimes.”  
  
The teen nodded but kept his eyes on the syringe, jumping back in his chair when the doctor picked it up. “I told you what happened! Pl-please don’t inject me with that!”  
  
“This? Oh, this is just your pain medication, Mikado-kun.” He grinned, taking far too much joy in the terrified expression of the boy in front of him as he grabbed a wrist.  
  
“But you said it would make me tell you the truth!”  
  
“It did get you to tell the truth,” Shinra pressed the needle against the thin skin of the boy’s inner arm, pushing it in carefully.  
  
“But you said it would hurt!”  
  
“I only said it might.” He pulled the needle away and pocketed it once again. “You have quite the imagination.”  
  
Walking to the makeshift clinic, Shinra smiled to himself at the sounds of Mikado’s confusion. He’d have to make sure that Celty never discovered this dark side of him, lest she beat him half to death for it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shizuo kept his eyes closed and slapped an arm around on Izaya’s side of the bed. He’d had a feeling he was alone, but had hoped he was mistaken. Groaning, he rolled over and shoved his head beneath a pillow. It was too late for him to still be in bed, but he always managed to sleep for longer around the louse. The louse who wasn’t in the room right now.  
  
“Shitty flea, bet you didn’t even leave a note.”  
  
Literally rolling out of bed, Shizuo hit the floor with a light thump before reaching for a pair of pants. He felt too lazy to use his legs to stand and comfortable enough to flop around on the floor given that no one was there to watch. Once he’d slid them over his ankles, he pulled them up in one clean sweep and slowly rose to his feet, finally opening his eyes.  
  
The room was too bright, and he cursed himself for forgetting to close the heavy curtains before they fell asleep the night before. Sure enough, there was no note to be seen, but the dampness in the shower suggested that Izaya hadn’t been gone for very long. Shizuo ordered room service for breakfast, as he was too lethargic to walk down to the restaurant and too hungry to wait for Izaya to return.  
  
‘ _If he returns…’_

 

He shook his head in an attempt to remove the thought. Izaya always came back, it was just his own insecurities that made him question it. For whatever reason, the two men were bound to each other as either lovers or enemies so there was no point in becoming apprehensive over nothing. The informant was probably off ruining lives and scheming as he usually did.  
  
‘ _But he said he’s not doing anything.’_

 

Could he really believe that? At the time, it had seemed genuine and Shizuo had already told Izaya he’d trust him, but it seemed so out of character. Izaya running off before Shizuo woke up didn’t help his cause either. Sitting on the bed, Shizuo could see Izaya’s zipped up suitcase from the corner of his eye.  
  
He’d left it in the room, so Shizuo assumed that meant the brunette would return for whatever was inside it. Thinking back, Shizuo hadn’t seen the inside of that case since its entrails were thrown around the room earlier in the week. It had stayed closed, Izaya only unzipping a corner in order to reach a hand in and remove whatever he needed from it.  
  
It made Shizuo curious. Standing up, he stared down at the case as he debated himself. It would be a breach of privacy if Shizuo were to poke around in it, and Izaya would never forgive him for doing it. On the other hand, if his flea was up to something then he felt like it was his duty to put a stop to it. Unable to decide, Shizuo ran a hand along the top of it.  
  
**_“Brother, I think you should trust Orihara-san.”_  
**  
Shizuo stepped away from the luggage, ashamed at himself for almost giving into temptation and feeling as though he’d almost let his brother down. Promising to thank Kasuka the next time they spoke, he slipped on a shirt and walked into the bathroom to wash his face. He’d wait for Izaya to come back and kick his arse for leaving without leaving a note and forcing him to eat breakfast alone, but he wouldn’t invade his privacy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this chapter isn't long enough, so I'm sorry if you were expecting something bigger! I'll make it up to you with lots of plot progression later. :D


	22. Izaya likes watch, not run.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In Miyazaki, Shizuo eats. In Ikebukuro, Celty goes to her meeting.

_“Unprecedented levels of gang violence have swept the city of Ikebukuro, with many citizens being hospitalised during the chaos. Police have advised all residents to stay indoors and a curfew may be put into effect later in the week.”  
  
“An anonymous source was quoted as saying that the Police are doing everything within their power to lessen the damage, but are lacking the manpower needed to halt the violence altogeth-”_

  
Dennis turned off the television with a frown. He wouldn’t have minded having it on as background noise, but he didn’t want to deal with the mopey giant that was his business partner.  
  
“Look bad.” Simon mumbled, his characteristic smile a distant memory.  
  
“We may as well close up for the day, it doesn’t look like we’ll be getting any customers.”  
  
The giant Russian looked as though he wanted to disagree, before sadly nodding his head. He wouldn’t mind keeping the place open as a safe haven, but it would do no good to sit around doing nothing whilst the violence continued to escalate outside. He went out the front and brought in the sign, resting it by the entrance when he returned.  
  
“Hello, hello,” came a voice from the back, accompanied by a familiar tapping. “How’s business?”  
  
“No business.” Simon replied as Akabayashi came into view from the kitchen. “You want shark sushi?”  
  
“Not today, it’s a bit too early in the day for me.” The Red Demon responded cheerfully.  
  
“You’re early this week. Did the shipment come early?” Dennis said as he reached under the bench in front of him, before being dismissed with a wave of Akabayshi’s hand.  
  
“No no, that’s fine. I came for a different reason today.” He walked over to the stools and sat himself down, unbuttoning the front of his gaudy blazer as he did. “I take it you’ve heard about that informant’s office being attacked?”

  
The Russians shared a look.  
  
“Yes. Was you?”  
  
The Red Demon laughed, “Not this time. I wouldn’t mind putting that kid in his place every now and then, but I don’t think I’d walk away from a fight with Heiwajima no nii-chan if he ever found out. I’m too old to take chances like that these days.”  
  
“Shi-zu-o too strong when hungry. Hunger make him angry.”  
  
“It’s a miracle he hasn’t killed that informant kid yet.” Akabayashi placed his cane on the bench top. “Or should I say it’s a miracle they haven't killed each other yet?”  
  
Dennis chuckled softly in agreement. “So what brings you here today?”  
  
“Well, as much as I hate to admit it, I’m a bit stumped. Figured you two might be able to help me out, since you’re ‘bukuro’s eyes and ears.”  
  
“You certainly think highly of us, but I doubt we know any more than you do.”  
  
“Don’t kid a kidder, Dennis.” Eyes narrowed at the white Russian, though the smile remained cheerfully in place, “You two might not have a hand in these things anymore, but it doesn’t mean you turn a blind eye to it.”

 

Dennis met the gaze unblinking, though his hand stilled from where he’d been wiping the counter.  Simon watched the two quietly, pleased to see that the staring contest was broken by Akabayashi.  
  
“I mean no offence, of course. Just doesn’t make much sense.”  
  
Dennis began wiping the countertop again, “All I can say is that it looks like it comes back to those two kids. I don’t think Izaya has orchestrated anything this time, but it does look like he has.”  
  
“Timing bad, but not Izaya.” Simon agreed.

 

“Why do ya think that?”  
  
“Izaya likes watch. Not run.”  
  
The Red Demon thought about it for a moment. “Might be onto something there.”  
  
The conversation was interrupted when the front door opened quietly, a black-clad biker walking into the restaurant.  
  
“You want sushi? We close, but make for you.” Simon greeted Celty cheerfully.  


“Good morning, Courier. What a pleasant surprise it is to bump into you before the meeting.”  
  
Celty nodded at the Red Demon, fingers glided across her PDA. [ No thank you, Simon. I just came to pass on a message from Shinra. He would like it if you and Dennis could stop by the apartment today. ]  
  
“We’re closing up early, so we might head over now if it’s convenient.” Dennis said, receiving a nod in response.  
  
[ Would you like a ride, Akabayashi-san? ]  
  
“Don’t see how I could refuse a ride from a pretty lady such as yourself.” Akabayashi grabbed his cane from the bench and slid off the stool, “Always wanted to go for a spin on that bike of yours.”  
  
The yakuza and the dullahan said their goodbyes as they left the restaurant, the Russians locking the door behind them.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
Shizuo was bored. He had no idea where Izaya was and wasn’t entirely sure he’d come back. If they were back in Ikebukuro, he’d spend the day busying himself with work or simply walk the streets to clear his head. He didn’t feel comfortable enough to do that in an unfamiliar place, and he missed having a working phone for the first time in days.  
  
Ever since he’d sought advice about his flea online, he’d come to form a sort of attachment to the Dollars website. He still wouldn’t post often, but he’d occasionally ask for tips on how to have a successful relationship (from what he’d gathered, his relationship was definitely unorthodox) or give others, usually schoolkids, advice on how to stick up for themselves whenever they posted with a problem.  
  
The anonymity was freeing, with other members listening to him and even thanking him for his help instead of cowering away in fear. That isn’t to say the place didn’t piss him off, but his bullshit metre had a higher threshold now that he was in close proximity with the most annoying idiot on the planet on a regular basis and he hadn’t destroyed a phone or computer in months.  
  
Rolling onto his side, he reached for the room service menu and phone for the third time since he’d woken up. If Izaya was going to leave him alone with no explanation, he was going to make him pay for it. His stomach was already full of desserts but he skimmed the menu anyway, deciding to order some more chocolate-something. The prices were truly outrageous and it disgusted him, but he was looking forward to the look on Izaya’s shitty face when he settled the bill later.  
  
  
  


  
  
  
  
  
  
**  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

**_Around two months earlier_ **

****

****

****

****

****

****

 

“You must think you’re pretty smart, eh?” the police officer spat as he roughly uncuffed the man in front of him.  
  
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” The man sneered in return. “I’ve been telling you I’m innocent ever since I was first arrested.”  
  
“Tch, like hell you are. I don’t know what you did, but that new evidence is bullshit.”  
  
The man rubbed his newly freed wrists and laughed. “I’ve been in prison for just over a year, how could _I_ have possibly managed to falsify evidence?”  
  
“I don’t know how you did it, but you did. Sign here.”  
  
The man signed his name on the bottom of the forms presented to him before returning the pen. “Wrongful convictions certainly are a rarity in Japan. I suppose I should feel special to have been involved in one.”  
  
The officer signed his name beside the ex-prisoners, using too much pressure in his haste and ripping the paper slightly. “I’ll make sure to ask the guards to keep your cell nice and pretty for ya, since you’ll be going back sooner or later. I _will_ put you away again.”  
  
“Am I free to go?”  
  
The officer nodded, turning his back on the man and walking back into the depths of the station. He was an officer, not a detective, and didn’t have the resources at his disposal to follow up on his promise. All he could do was pray that whenever the man slipped up, he’d be lucky enough to arrest him a second time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The streets of Ikebukuro were unusually bare, with only a few people walking quickly from place to place. It was eerie, and Celty felt as though she were starring in a horror film. Shooter, sensing her discomfort, let out a reassuring whinny and she stroked the body of her motorcycle in response.  
  
“Been meaning to ask,” Akabayashi asked from behind her, “Is your bike a horse or somethin’?”  
  
Pulling up at a stoplight, Celty quickly typed out a reply. [ Something like that. ]  
  
“Thought so. Too pretty to just be a bike.”  
  
Shooter neighed happily at the compliment, and Celty heard a throaty chuckle behind her.  
  
[ I wonder where everyone is today. ]  
  
“Probably at home. Between the cops tellin’ folks to stay indoors and the Dollars saying there are zombies out here, no one’s game enough to leave the house.”  
  
[ Zombies? ] The light turned green and Celty turned back to face the road as Shooter accelerated.  
  
“You know, those people who turn mindless and eat everyone’s brains. Sometimes it’s ‘cause of a virus or sickness, or aliens, or-”  
  
Akabayashi was cut off when the bike suddenly swerved, causing them to almost plough into a barricade. After correcting the bike, Celty typed out another message using her shadow.  
  
[ A-a-aliens? Here? Did you see them? ]  
  
“Courier, are you afraid of aliens?” the Red Demon laughed at the frantic shaking of Celty’s helmet, “I don’t think aliens are doing this, it’s just Saika.”  
  
[ How do you know about Saika? ]  
  
“That’s a story too long for a ride like this, maybe I’ll tell you next time.”  
  
The rest of the ride was silent, though Celty was sure she could hear the Red Demon humming to himself softly. They turned onto the street where the Awakusu-kai headquarters was located and braked immediately. At least a dozen bodies, unconscious or possibly dead, were scattered in the street and blocking their path.  
  
Both of Shooter’s passengers dismounted and surveyed the damage. Some of the bodies seemed vaguely familiar to the dullahan and she assumed they must have been low-level yakuza, but she’d never seen some of the others before.  
  
Hearing a loud tapping on the ground behind her, she turned to face the man she’d been having a pleasant conversation with. She’d been lucky enough to never cross his path during his younger, more violent days and could hardly believe the legends that surrounded him. He’d always seemed friendly and kind, with a tragic sense of fashion and a good sense of humour. However, when she saw the hardened look on his face she had no problem believing any of the stories she’d heard about him.  
  
He strode past her, cane hitting the ground with every second step, making his way through the carnage and toward the violence. Coming to her senses, she hurried along behind him, afraid of how he might react. [ Akabayashi-san, let me handle it! ]  
  
“No offence or nothing, but this isn’t your business.” He replied coldly.  
  
Celty began typing on her PDA again, hoping to reason with him, but decided it probably wouldn’t work. She’d become attached to the human race over her last twenty years in Japan and didn’t particularly want to witness what could very well be a bloody massacre. She fell a few more steps behind the yakuza and decided she’d step in with her shadows if it looked like it was getting out of hand.  
  
Akabayashi strode confidently to the front gate, peering around the corner for a moment before continuing. In the short amount of time that Celty lost sight of him, she heard a series of loud cracks and screams of pain. She hurried her steps and followed the demon, stopping almost as soon as she rounded the corner.  
  
There he was, opening the mouth of a man on the ground and resting his teeth gingerly along the slightly raised cement barrier that separated the garden from the path. The man whimpered as his teeth chipped on the hard surface but seemed unable to escape. When Akabayashi was done, he dragged a second man over and placed him in the same position.  
  
Celty was confused at first, unable to understand why anyone would position another person that way. It wasn’t until Akabayashi finished and stepped to the front of the men that she understood the situation.  
  
The Red Demon raised a leg bent at the knee to his chest and held it for a moment, a cruel smile adorning his face. With a frightening amount of speed, he brought his foot down hard, aiming for the first man’s head.  
  
The man closed his eyes tightly and made a small noise in fear, but felt no pain. He wondered if he’d died and opened his eyes, whimpering in surprise when he saw black smoke restraining the Red Demon.  
  
“I told ya, Courier,” he growled out, “This isn’t your business.”  
  
Celty typed on her PDA frantically. [ I can’t watch you do this! It’s too cruel! Why don’t you just take them inside and question them? ]  
  
“Ha! Did you see those lads out in the street? These bastards are the ones that did that!”

 

[ You can’t kill them like this! ]  
  
“Akabayashi.”  
  
The pair looked toward the door of the headquarters at the interruption.  
  
“Shiki-no-danna…”  
  
“The courier was correct in stopping you. Think of where we are.”  
  
The Red Demon scowled but no longer seemed hell-bent on gutter-stomping the intruders. At Shiki’s insistence, Celty cautiously released him from her shadows, using them to pick up the two men at her feet.  
  
“I apologise for the mess, Courier.” Shiki said in the same tone one would use if they were arriving late to a party, “I appreciate your help in this matter. If you wouldn’t mind, could you move those two into the building?”  
  
Celty nodded and walked into the headquarters, the two smoke-clad men floating inside behind her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Laying on his back and staring at the ceiling was not helping the blonde ignore the sharp pains in his stomach. He cursed himself internally and vowed to never eat that amount ever again. What had started as revenge had somehow turned into Shizuo punishing himself, and he was annoyed with his flea for winning this round, even if he hadn’t had a direct hand in causing Shizuo’s pain.  
  
“Fucking shitty fucking flea.”  
  
Shizuo let his head roll to the side, no longer attempting to keep it upright. His gaze settled on the suitcase the brunette had left, neatly zipped up and quietly mocking him.  
  
“Why should I trust someone like him? Always up to _something_ and running off without tellin’ me. I’ve got a right to know what he’s up to.” He mumbled out loud, simply to break the deafening silence.

 

Before Izaya, Shizuo had loved the quiet. Barely a word was ever spoken in his flat, and he became irate easily whenever he was forced to listen to others drone on and on about mindless garbage. Now though, he missed the inane chatter and mind-numbing ramblings of his (possibly insane) boyfriend. He’d become used to it at some stage, finding comfort in the ridiculous speeches and over the top explanations.  
  
“Stupid Izaya…”  
  
He raised himself up, cringing at the pressure in his stomach, so he could sit and stare at the suitcase. He knew it’d be wrong to open it, a massive violation of privacy that he’d have trouble atoning for, but he wanted to know. He tried to tell himself it was because it was his duty to stop whatever plans Izaya had probably put in motion, but the lie was less believable as the hours passed by.  
  
He just wanted to know where Izaya was, what he was doing, what he was thinking, who he was with. What so important that he could leave Shizuo here alone? Did he leave him behind because he thought Shizuo would slow him down, or because he thought he was stupid? Was it because he couldn’t tru-  
  
The blonde moaned in frustration, rubbing his palms over his eyes. Sitting here doing nothing wasn’t helping, but he couldn’t just run off in case Izaya came back. He turned his head slightly and stared at the hotel room phone, feeling guilty for even considering calling his brother again. The brothers were incredibly close, but didn’t speak on a daily basis. Not to mention the fact that Shizuo was meant to be the older brother and therefore shouldn’t burden Kasuka with his problems.  
  
“Ah, fuck it.”  
  
He picked up the phone and began dialling the number, only stopping when he heard a quiet voice on the other end telling him to dial zero first if he wanted to make an outgoing call. He apologised quickly and hung up, embarrassed with his blunder.  
  
Taking a breath, he picked up the receiver and tried again.  
  
The phone rang twice before Kasuka answered.  
  
_“Brother, is everything alright?”  
  
_ Guilt coming over him in waves, he nodded. “Yeah uh, it’s fine. Sorry to call so often…”  
  
_“That’s fine, I’m on a break right now….”  
  
CRASH_  
  
Shizuo jumped at the noise coming through the receiver. “Kasuka! Are you alright?!”  
  
_“I’m fine. I’m near the set, they’re filming the action sequences.”  
  
_ “I thought your new film was a romance?”  
  
_“It is, there was a change in the script.”  
  
BANG  
  
_ “Right…” Shizuo closed his eyes and rubbed his temple, trying to ignore the screams coming through the phone, “Sorry, if you’re busy…”  
  
_“I have a little time. Did something happen?”  
  
THUMP-THUMP_  
  
“Heh, I guess it did.” The blonde lit a cigarette and walked out to the balcony, gently tugging on the phone line, “Flea’s gone.”  
  
_“Gone?”_ Kasuka questioned, his voice slightly raised so he could be heard over the sounds of shattering glass.  
  
“Woke up this mornin’ and he wasn’t here, didn’t leave a note either. Just his crappy suitcase.”  
  
_“I see. Did you have a fight?”  
  
CRASH  
  
_ “Nothin’ like that, I don’t think… or nothing more than normal I guess.”  
  
_“Brother, do you love Orihara-san?”  
  
_ The cigarette fell from Shizuo’s lips and he jumped back to avoid it burning him. He stomped on it mercilessly while he tried to think of an answer.  
  
_“I apologise, I shouldn’t ask you something so personal.”  
  
_ “No! It’s alright, you’re my brother and all…” He pulled out another cigarette and lit it up. “We uh, don’t say that stuff to each other or anything, but…”  
  
_“I understand.”_ The screaming and loud sounds in the background faded into silence, _“Trust Orihara-san. As I said yesterday, I don’t think he’d do something to harm you. I’m sure he has his reasons for leaving and that he’ll return.”_  
  
“How can I do that when he’s such a… such a flea! He’s a manipulative bloodsucker, and he never tells me shit!” Shizuo laughed bitterly, “He doesn’t trust me so why should I trust him?”  
  
_“If he left his suitcase, it’s because he trusts you not to go through it. I’m sure everything is fine.”_  
  
“If you say so… I’m sorry to always call you about this stuff. You deserve a better brother.”  
  
_“I don’t mind talking about it, as long as he makes you happy.”_ Kasuka mumbled something to someone he was with before he continued, _“Brother, do you mind if Ruri-san and I stay at your house tonight?”_  
  
“N-not at all, everything okay?”  
  
_“Everything is fine. I’m sorry, but my break is over. Call me whenever you like.”  
  
_ Shizuo stubbed out his smoke and tossed it into the ashtray. “Thanks, Kasuka. Be safe, alright?”  
  
_“You too. Oh, and brother?”  
  
_ “Yeah?”  
  
_“Try and relax. Don’t watch the news or do anything that will upset you.”_  
  
“Okay… bye.”  
  
_“Goodbye.”  
  
_ Shizuo cringed as he ended the call, hoping that his brother would never find out about the explosion he caused at the festival. He walked back inside and flopped onto the bed, staring at the sheets and _not_ trying to smell his flea on them.  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You should stop lying to him.” Ruri said as she wiped the sheen of sweat from her forehead.  
  
“He doesn’t need to know about this.” Kasuka replied. Though his expression remained unchanged, he was worried about his girlfriend. “Did you get hurt?”  
  
“No, I’m fine. Thank you for hiding under the table, it would have been difficult to take care of this if they’d used you as a shield.”  
  
“…”  
  
Before Shizuo had called, Ruri and Kasuka had been quietly sipping tea at their apartment. They’d been interrupted by a group of men kicking down the door and attempting, so they thought, to take them hostage. Kasuka had stepped in front of Ruri and asked the men to leave, causing the intruders to pause.  
  
If the information they’d been given was correct, then the Hanejima Yuuhei that stood before them was Heiwajima Shizuo’s younger brother. There was no way to tell if he had the same inhuman strength.  
  
The two groups stared at each other, silently sizing each other up, when they’d been interrupted by the sound of Kasuka’s cell phone ringing. The sound had scared the intruders and pushed them to attack, and Ruri had shoved Kasuka under the table and warned him to stay put. In order to take his mind off the scuffle, he’d answered the phone.  
  
“I know you can protect me, but I’m glad you let me protect you.”  
  
“You’re bleeding.” Reaching out a hand, the younger Heiwajima grasped Ruri’s wrist lightly.  
  
“It’s not mine.”  
  
“I think you should see a doctor anyway. I’ll make a call and have this cleaned up.”  
  
Ruri nodded and walked to the bathroom to wash her face. She’d become accustomed to Kasuka’s expressionless face and voice, but had a feeling it was better not to argue with him at the moment. Something told her he wasn’t as apathetic as he seemed right now.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Can I get you anything?” Shiki asked the dullahan as he walked into his office, shadowed by the Red Demon.  
  
[ I’m fine, thank you. ]  
  
“Thank you again for your help earlier. It appears that each time you visit you’re treated rudely, but I assure you it won’t happen in the future.”  
  
Celty thought back to the last time she’d visited Shiki and the way he’d beaten a subordinate for being afraid of her. She suddenly felt worse for the two men being interrogated. [ Really, it’s not trouble. ]  
  
“I’m glad to hear that.” Shiki sat in his chair, Akabayashi choosing to lean against a wall. “It’s rare for you to request a meeting.”  
  
[ Sorry, I didn’t know what else to do or who to ask… ]  
  
“You’re worried about Heiwajima Shizuo-san, I take it?”  
  
The dullahan nodded. If she were being honest with herself, Izaya’s wellbeing didn’t matter much to her.  
  
“I see.” Shiki rubbed his chin as he thought for a moment. “I can tell you this much, we don’t know a lot. However, things might come together if we were to share information.”  
  
Celty began to type but stopped, erasing everything she’d written. She tried again only to repeat the process.  
  
“I understand that you might not be comfortable sharing everything with us, but I can assure you that we won’t hurt Heiwajima-san.”  
  
[ Or Izaya. ]  
  
“If we hurt the informant it would hurt Heiwajima, correct?” Shiki laughed, “Personally, I doubt he’s involved in this situation directly. Though he’s not the most trustworthy person, he hasn’t done anything that we know of that would permit a stern punishment.”  
  
[ Do you know where they are? ]  
  
“I believe so, but I haven’t received confirmation yet. I can tell you that neither is dead nor imprisoned.”  
  
Celty felt relief wash over her. [ That’s good to hear. ]  
  
Shiki smiled a little, amused with the visible relief that the headless rider showed. “I would like to add that it does look like Orihara’s handiwork.”  
  
Celty tilted her helmet to one side slightly, [ I thought you said he wasn’t involved? ]  
  
“Yes, but it looks like his work.”  
  
Celty waited for a further explanation, which Akabayashi thankfully provided.  
  
“He’s probably bein’ set up.”  
  
[ Who would do that? ] She typed, quickly flashing the message at the gangsters before deciding to add more, [ I mean, everyone hates him, but who _could_ do that? ]  
  
“I have my suspicions, but why don’t you tell us a little more about what you know before we get to that?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Togusa was many things. He was a fantastic friend who was loyal to the point where he put himself in danger, and feared by many who knew his past and what he was capable of. He loved his van, to the point where it could be considered unhealthy, and most surprisingly, he was a massive fan of Hijiribe Ruri. Not many people were aware of his obsession with the idol, but those who knew him well were not at all surprised (though quite embarrassed) by his reaction when the idol appeared in front of him.  
  
“Y-y-you… you-ou’re…” he spluttered, no longer able to form coherent sentences.  
  
“Ruri-chan! Kasuka-kun!” Shinra interrupted, brushing past the star-struck youth and inviting the couple inside. “What a pleasant surprise! I didn’t think I’d see you both two days in a row!”  
  
“I apologise for our rudeness,” Kasuka said quietly, so that Ruri and Shinra were the only ones who could hear him. “Would you be able to give Ruri-san a check up?”  
  
“Of course, follow me.” Shinra replied, his voice becoming more serious. “We’ll just be a moment.” He added for the benefit of his other guests.  
  
They walked into the makeshift clinic and Shinra closed the door behind them.  
  
“Sorry to bother you when you have guests,” Ruri said quietly as she sat on the empty bed.  
  
“Not at all, in fact, I was going to call you and invite you to our meeting.” The doctor quickly washed his hands and slipped on a pair of gloves. “But we can talk about that later. Why don’t you tell me what happened?”  
  
“Some men attacked us in our apartment. I don’t think I was hurt, but Yuuhei-san insisted…”  
  
“Well, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Do you remember being hit anywhere?”  
  
“I grazed my lower back when I jumped out of the way, but I don’t believe they managed to hit me at all.”  
  
The doctor chuckled to himself, “I bet they were surprised.”  
  
Kasuka looked away from the pair, shifting his gaze to a small crack in the ceiling. He knew Ruri was more than capable of looking after herself and that he would have just gotten in her way, but he couldn’t help but feel guilty. It reminded him of when he was a child and his brother would always look after him, making sure that no one even thought of bullying him. Despite being strong in his own right, it seemed as though he was always surrounded by people with inhuman strength and a desire to protect him.  
  
“It looks like you’re fine. The scrape on your back is superficial, and with the rate you heal it should be gone within a few hours.” Shinra pulled off his gloves as he spoke, tossing them haphazardly into the rubbish bin. “However, I don’t think this will be the last time you’re attacked.”  
  
“Why is that?” Kasuka asked, though he was sure he already knew the answer.  
  
“It would appear that anyone close to Shizuo-kun or Izaya-kun are being targeted, so you should make sure you bump up your security.”  
  
“I see. We’ll be staying at brothers flat this evening, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”  
  
Shinra turned to face the younger Heiwajima, an unreadable look on his face. “So you’ve spoken to Shizuo-kun?”  
  
Kasuka didn’t reply, choosing to stare at the doctor instead.  
  
“I’m sorry for making assumptions, but you and your brother are very similar. I doubt you’d stay at his place unless you asked permission first.”  
  
Ruri smirked a little despite herself. The doctor did seem to know the brothers well.  
  
“Shinra-san, I don’t want my brother involved in this.”  
  
“He’s already involved. Both of them are, whether we like it or not. Don’t you think it would be better to warn hi-”  
  
“No.” Kasuka said, cutting Shinra off mid-sentence. It wouldn’t be noticeable to anyone other than Shizuo, but he was quite annoyed with the conversation. “Brother doesn’t need to know.”  
  
“Kasuka-kun, I understand that you don’t want to put him into any danger, but if there’s a chance that Izaya has a part in this, he needs to know.”  
  
“Orihara-san, though untrustworthy, wouldn’t do anything to harm Shizuo.”  
  
“If that’s the case, then we should tell them both so that they can come home and fix whatever is happening.”  
  
“If you don’t believe that Orihara-san is aware of the situation, you don’t know him as well as you think. I believe he knows and is hiding it from my brother.”  
  
“And you don’t have a problem with that?”  
  
Kasuka looked at Ruri, then back at the doctor. “No. I trust him.”

  
Shinra looked at the younger Heiwajima intently, trying to see if he was serious. It occurred to him that the likeness between the brothers seemed to become more obvious within the last few moments. “Do you feel the same way, Ruri-chan?”

 

Ruri kept her eyes on her hands, carefully thinking about her answer. “I don’t trust Orihara-san, but I think Yuuhei-san knows what’s best for his brother.”  
  
“Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t get in touch with either of them. They didn’t tell me where they were going, so I’ll have to go along with what you want for now.” Shinra sighed dramatically, walking to the door and resting his hand on the handle. “I’ll give you a moment to compose yourselves, but I’d appreciate it if you joined me in the living room when you’re done. You might be interested in the conversation we’ll be having.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter done, and the plot is moving along nicely (I think)! Hopefully it's not that confusing :D
> 
> I had trouble thinking of a chapter name for this one, so feel free to leave a suggestion. As always, feel free to point out any typos you see as well!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	23. Everyone drink, everyone happy.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the past, sex is good.
> 
> In Miyazaki, Shizuo can't eat anymore. Meanwhile in Ikebukuro, more information comes to light.

“They’re in Miyazaki, but none of the hotels have them listed as guests,” Mikado mumbled, eyes burning holes into the borrowed laptop. “Orihara-san might have used an alias.”  
  
None of the group who surrounded him, consisting of Shinra, Anri, Kasuka, Ruri, the van gang, Simon, and Dennis, were particularly surprised to hear this. Izaya had always been a dangerous mix of paranoid and dishonest.   
  
Shinra gave Kasuka a pointed look, but didn’t mention that the idol had made contact with his brother. Just because he was the quiet Heiwajima did not mean he couldn’t be just as dangerous if provoked.   
  
“Maybe he told his sisters where he went.” Kadota offered hesitantly.  
  
“I doubt it, they’re closer to Shizuo-kun than they are to Izaya-kun.” Shinra replied. He didn’t think it would be a good idea to include the Orihara twins if he could help it. They might be young, but they were just as devious as their older brother and he didn’t want to deal with whatever might happen to Kasuka or Ruri if they joined this meeting. “How about his assistant? Yagiri Namie.”  
  
“Um,” Anri said quietly, “I asked Harima-san if she was okay this morning and she said that she was going on a trip with Yagiri-kun and Yagiri-san today…”  
  
“I don’t think she’d help, anyway.” Mikado added somewhat bitterly. He hadn’t known that Yagiri Namie was now working for the informant, but he supposed it made sense. After his own dealings with the woman, he’d found her to be almost as devious as her employer.  
  
The conversation was halted by Simon, who had taken over Shinra’s kitchen, bringing cups of tea over for everyone. “Shi-zu-o and I-zay-a fine. Need not find.”  
  
“I agree with Simon-san.” Kasuka spoke, taking a cup from the tray in front of him. “Brother and Orihara-san are obviously being targeted. Bringing them back will only escalate the situation.”  
  
“If they’re back it will stop everyone else being hurt!” Anri said a little louder than she’d meant to. A faint red dusted her cheeks when she noticed all eyes turning to her. “T-they’re strong, but other people are getting hurt.”  
  
“There’s no guarantee that the violence will stop if we bring those two home.” Dennis cautioned, “From what we’ve discussed, it looks like those close to those two will continue to be hurt anyway.”  
  
“Might be plan to lure back.” Simon added, “Can’t risk.”  
  
Anri looked as though she wanted to argue, but decided to stay silent. She had no problem with sacrificing the two men for the greater good. Saika had told her that Shizuo had resisted her, so she had a feeling the blonde would be able to get out of any situation, and she didn’t really care what happened to the slimy informant. Even Saika had doubts about loving that particular human.  
  
“We don’t need them anyway, we’re tough on our own!” Erika squeaked, nudging Walker with a shoulder.  
  
“Yes! We’ll find the final boss and take him out!”  
  
Ruri giggled a little at the enthusiasm of the pair, much to Togusa’s delight. He’d been rendered mute ever since her arrival, still unable to form sentences.  
  
“As much as I hate to admit it, these two are right.” Kadota sighed, “We can figure this out without Izaya and Shizuo and put a stop to it ourselves.”  
  
The group murmured in agreement.  
  
“Alright then.” Shinra stood up from his seat at the end of the table, “Let’s figure this out. What we know so far is that anyone close to Izaya-kun and Shizuo-kun are on a hitlist, that Izaya-kun’s office was broken into, and that the Awakusu-kai were there to tidy it up afterward.”  
  
“Why were yakuza there?” Ruri asked.  
  
“Celty has gone to find out.” The doctor replied. “What else do we know?”  
  
“Izaya and Shizuo probably caused that explosion in Miyazaki.” Kadota added.  
  
“And everyone is saying Shizu-Shizu is in jail and Izayan put him there!”   
  
“Don’t forget that Izaya-san might be dead!” Walker added a little too enthusiastically.  
  
“Dead?” Kasuka asked quizzically.  
  
“Someone on the Dollars site said he came back to Ikebukuro and got killed by a group of thugs!” the blonde elaborated.

“When?”  
  
Erika pulled out her phone and opened the Dollars site to check, but Mikado cut her off. “The rumour was circulated yesterday by a source that’s usually correct. They said it happened the night before last in Ikebukuro.”  
  
Kasuka exhaled in relief, those his demeanour remained unchanged, “I see.”  
  
“Kasuka-kun, can you help me in the kitchen for a moment?” Shinra asked, moving away from the table. Kasuka followed him as the group continued their discussion.  
  
“I didn’t expect you to be interested in rumours like that,” the doctor whispered, “Did something happen to Izaya-san?”  
  
Kasuka weighed up his options, deciding to be honest with the bespectacled doctor. “Brother said that Orihara-san was gone when he woke up this morning.”  
  
“I see. Why didn’t you mention this before?”  
  
“It makes Orihara-san look guilty.”  
  
“And you really don’t think he’s up to something?” Shinra said in disbelief. Had the expressionless man before him not been related to a certain super-human, he might have had the urge to shake him. “How can you honestly believe that?”  
  
“I trust my brother.”  
  
“That’s not a-”  
  
“Orihara-san is definitely doing something, but do you believe that he’d do something on this scale and not stay to watch?”  
  
“Well, he’s known to run away.”  
  
“Do you think he’d do anything to harm my brother?”  
  
“Yes.” Shinra replied quickly. He knew that Ikebukuro’s most infamous couple had deep feelings for each other, but that didn’t stop Izaya from being Izaya.  
  
“Orihara-san has obviously been framed.” He said softly, “Not even he would send men to my apartment. When he and my brother were enemies, neither of them ever used their families against one another.”  
  
“Kasuka-kun, that might have once been the case, but that doesn’t mean much at all.” Shinra said in a condescending tone, “Izaya might have feelings for your brother, but that doesn’t mean he won’t just use your brothers feelings in order to hurt him.”  
  
“My brother would notice if that were the case.”  
  
Shinra laughed bitterly, “Your brother is a great guy, but I don’t think he’d be able to pick up on something like that. He’s not… Well, Izaya has never had a problem fooling him before.”  
  
Kasuka tilted his head to one side as if he were sizing Shinra up. Shinra looked at him curiously, thinking once again that the younger Heiwajima seemed to resemble his older brother just a little more than usual.  
  
Shinra’s observation was rudely interrupted, however, when he felt the hard knuckles of the younger Heiwajima make contact with his cheekbone. He stumbled backward with the force, grunting when his back made contact with the cabinets.   
  
Simon was the first to make it to the kitchen at the noise, standing in the doorway with his eyes darting between the two men. “What happen?”  
  
“Nothing, Simon.” Shinra answered, cupping his face and struggling to find his footing.   
  
“I won’t tolerate you saying that my brother is a fool.” Kasuka spoke calmly, ignoring the giant Russian.

 

“You’re right, I overstepped. I’m sorry.”  
  
Simon watched the exchange quietly before leaving to give them some privacy, but made a mental note to never insult Shizuo in front of his brother. It was unlikely that the brothers shared the same monstrous strength but the unchanged expression on the younger Heiwajima, even as blood trickled from the small cuts on his knuckles, unnerved him.   
  
“We should probably patch you up.” Shinra gestured at Kasuka’s hand, “Try to hide it from the others. In-fighting is the last thing we need.”  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_A year and five months earlier, Ikebukuro  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

Izaya had a rare day free. He suspected it was Namie’s doing, as she somehow knew that Izaya ~~and Shizuo would be going on a date~~ would be going on a fact finding mission with his beast that evening. Her teasing, though in character and still biting, came as a shock to the informant. It was rare that the woman would take any interest in his personal life and he had briefly wondered if she had finally warmed to him (the threats of poisoning when he asked her had quickly dispelled the thought).

 

Thus, he found himself with no work to do and no lives to ruin and had decided to go on a sight-seeing tour throughout Ikebukuro whilst he waited for his beast. Unlike other days when he’d simply watch the residents of the city as they went about their day, today was special. His earlier hard work would pay off and he’d be able to witness the fruits of his labour.

 

He made his way through the city, sticking to the streets instead of the alleys hoping to ~~see~~ _provoke_ Shizuo, on his way to destination number one. It was a small, run-down apartment in desperate need of repairs and looked as though it was abandoned. Izaya had investigated the place around a week earlier and had found a vantage point that was neither too close nor too far away. A place he could watch the goings on without being noticed himself, unless someone knew where to look.

 

He leaned against a tree heavily and checked the time on his phone. It was 10:49am, which meant he’d arrived just in time. He smiled in anticipation, counting down the final sixty-seconds in his head.

 

 _’12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7-‘  
  
_ Police rushed at the apartment, knocking down the door and throwing in tear gas.  
  
_‘Seven seconds early, how undisciplined.’_

 

Four men ran out of the apartment with tears streaming down their faces and dropped to their knees in surrender. Police quickly cuffed them, dragging them away from the building and toward the police cars and pouring bottled water on their faces. Izaya sighed at the uninteresting arrest but stayed where he was. If his information was correct (which it always was), there should be at least one other person inside that building.   
  
Two officers in gas masks made their way into the apartment carefully, returning moments later with the final man. A man who, even without a gas mask, seemed unaffected by the tear gas. Izaya watched him carefully as he was handcuffed, smile widening at the sight of his façade slipping. The man, a would-be mastermind, appeared to be having trouble keeping his confusion and rage to himself.  
  
Izaya laughed gleefully at the pitiful look of indignation. It was true that the higher you believe yourself to be, the further you would fall. His joy was only increased when the man looked across the street and directly at the informant with a look of unbridled rage. Izaya laughed loudly, not caring about the man spotting him.  
  
That was, until he _smiled._ Every fibre of Izaya’s body screamed at him, warning him to run or hide. Instead, Izaya almost doubled over in laughter, his stomach aching and mouth becoming dry. Fear was something he was used to, an emotion that he welcomed with open arms.

 

_‘Humans really are so interesting! I love them, love them, LOVE THEM!’_

He blew the man a kiss and turned his back to him in a deliberate show of fearlessness. He crept away from the scene, making a mental note to check up on the man in the future. It was doubtful, but perhaps he’d be able to play with him some more even after his trial.  
  
Humming to himself as he skipped, he made a beeline for destination number two. If he was lucky, the next raid might be just as interesting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After disclosing as much information as she could, Celty had patiently waited for the Awakusu-kai executive to share what he knew. It wasn’t much, but it was more than she knew to start with. She learned that Izaya had helped the police, for an undisclosed reason, by giving them enough evidence to take down a minor organization. The head of that organization had been released from prison when new (and likely doctored) evidence came to light some two months ago. Unfortunately, that was all they knew.

  
[ You don’t know his name? ] Celty asked in disbelief. If the man had recently been incarcerated, there would surely be a record of him somewhere. The Awakusu-kai had sources in every government sector, so it wouldn’t be a stretch to think they’d know it.  
  
“Unfortunately, it looks as though he’s been using an alias. There’s no way to know which identity is his.” Shiki replied calmly. “That’s what Orihara-san told us, anyway.”  
  
If she had her head, Celty would be frowning. Izaya _always_ knew more than he let on, so he’d probably kept the man’s name a secret.  
  
“Sato Hiroto is the name he used when he was arrested.” Shiki continued, “It’s so common that we’ve had difficulty finding any information on him in Orihara’s absence.”  
  
Celty nodded again. If they had a photograph, there was a possibility that they could use the Dollars to find him, but that carried the risk of him finding out and hiding. The situation seemed hopeless.  
  
[ And you’re sure it’s Sato, not Izaya? ]  
  
“That’s what we think at this stage.”  
  
Celty stood up and bowed her helmet, [ Thank you for telling me. I should discuss this with Shinra. ]  
  
“You’re free to tell Kishitani-sensei, but I’d appreciate it if you didn’t spread this around. We can’t have Sato learning about this theory.”  
  
Celty paused, thinking to herself. If Mikado and Anri knew, they’d stop the fighting and use the Dollars and Saika’s children to help find the man. On the other hand, they might go off on their own and make things worse. [ I understand. ]  
  
The dullahan left the office, having Shooter meet her at the door. She needed to get home quickly and talk to Shinra as quickly as she could.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 _‘Bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored…’  
  
_ Shizuo repeated the word over and over again, as if saying it often enough would change his situation. The only thing he felt was worse than feeling angry was feeling bored, with sadness coming a close third. Boredom, he found, usually made him try to find things to do. Destructive things.  
  
If he’d been back in Ikebukuro, he’d have poured himself into his work or walked the streets in search of the object of his ire (also known as Orihara Izaya). Instead, he was voluntarily trapped in a hotel room that felt as though it was getting smaller by the hour, starring at the ceiling with a stomach ache. To make matters worse, it was only lunch time and he had a feeling he’d be alone for some hours to come.

 

“Stupid, shitty, idiot flea!” He cursed yet again. Given that he had all this time to think, he’d tried to come up with more creative insults to throw at his boyfriend, but found himself coming back to the classics. “Always up to something. Always doing _something._ Why should I trust a piece of crap like you, eh?”  
  
He rolled onto his stomach and pressed his face into Izaya’s pillow. Stupid flea left his stinking smell everywhere. Taking a deep breath in through his nose, his body relaxed at the scent momentarily before stiffening. He pushed himself away from the pillow and back to his side of the bed, disgusted with himself for doing something so pitiful.

He wasn’t the sort of person to sit and pine for anyone or anything, having become accustomed to losing everything he loved at an early age. The fact that he was currently yearning for that _bastard_ made Shizuo feel even more pathetic.  
  
“Stupid, stupid, stupid!” He groaned. Pushing himself into a sitting position, he closed his eyes tightly and took a deep breath.  
  
He had to do something to stop himself from becoming too bored, something that would make him feel as though he didn’t waste the entire day. He didn’t want Izaya to waltzing in at some point only to find Shizuo had sat and _waited_ for him.  
  
He opened his eyes again and looked around the room for inspiration. If he watched television he might get angry, he couldn’t eat any more than he already had, he wasn’t interested in doing the crossword puzzle in the paper, and he’d already chain smoked half his new pack. The only thing left would be to go through Izaya’s suitcase, but that was out of the question after he’d spoken with Kasuka.  
  
_‘Kasuka seemed strange today…’_  
  
Unlike the rest of the population, Shizuo was able to read his seemingly emotionless brother quite easily. He’d never been able to understand why others couldn’t, and had put it down to simply knowing his brother really well. They had grown up together, after all, so it wasn’t some great feat on his part.  
  
It was harder to read him over the phone, but Shizuo was sure he’d detected a trace of panic in his tone that was quickly hidden. That, and the fact that Shizuo was sure that an action sequence wouldn’t be needed in a romance movie, made everything seem suspicious.  
  
It was probably just a coincidence, but his flea had seemed a little strange lately as well. All this talk about not being up to something didn’t sit well with the blonde, and he wondered if Izaya’s disappearance could be connected to Kasuka somehow.  
  
It seemed far-fetched, but Shizuo had always trusted his gut and it had never led him astray in the past. He grabbed his smokes, a pen and the complimentary notepad and made his way out to the balcony. Lighting up a cigarette, he starred at the blank paper in his hand.  
  
He’d seen enough crime shows on television to know that the police usually wrote everything out whenever they struggled with a case, because staring at the information would help them solve the mystery. Shizuo himself had never done anything like that, with the dots usually connecting before he had a chance to think about it too much, but he figured he’d give it a try.  
  
**Weird Flea.**

 

He stared at the words and chuckled softly, promising himself that he’d burn the whole notepad before Izaya ever got a chance to look at it. Last thing he needed was that idiot making fun of him for this.  
  
**Kasuka being weird.**

 

He felt a little guilty for writing anything like that about his brother, but pushed the feeling away. Did he need to say in what way Kasuka was being weird?

**Kasuka being weird. Sorta panicked and saying to trust the Flea.**

 

Happy with the explanation, he scratched his head and tried to think of what else to add. Should he write down everything that had happened, or just the things he thought might be related to each other? Was there a chance that some things were related but he didn’t know it? Would the only things that were relevant be the things that had happened in the last week?

**Flea left but said he isn’t doing anything.**

 

Shizuo looked at the words and thought about what he’d written. Izaya leaving without a word wasn’t that unusual, but the fact that he and Kasuka had both insisted that he wasn’t doing anything was weird. Their sentences had been almost identical and that irked Shizuo. Was it possible for Izaya to do something when he wasn’t doing anything? Could both of them be in on whatever Izaya wasn’t doing?  
  
**Scary lady at the festival.**

 

He cringed at the memory as he wrote, but otherwise felt like this wasn’t connected. He suspected she was drunk and not herself, so he crossed it out. He really didn’t want to think about that night anymore.  
  
**Flea wants to go on holiday.**

This _did_ seem strange. Sure, it had been Simon’s idea and Shizuo had been the first to agree to it, but Izaya hadn’t put up much of a fight at all. In hindsight, it seemed odd that Izaya would willingly take a break from his work for a whole week just to spend quality time with Shizuo. Shizuo wasn’t, after all, the most pleasant company. He got angry all the time, not to mention the violence and cursing…  
  
Shizuo slapped his face with an open palm and stubbed out his forgotten cigarette. It would do no good to get insecure, and his flea was probably lucky to have someone as patient as Shizuo in his life. Hell, the blonde didn’t even try to kill the brunette these days, only aiming for serious bodily harm. Shizuo was practically a saint!  
  
Having lost his train of thought, he stared at the list and tried to make sense of it. He felt something when he looked at the words, but nothing tangible. Sighing, he tossed the notepad through the open door and onto the bed before lighting up another cigarette. He’d come back to it later.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_One year earlier, Ikebukuro  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

Sex, Shizuo had decided, was good. It was very good, actually, no matter which position he was in. Sometimes he’d bottom, which was a mixture of pleasure and discomfort, and other times he’d top. He honestly couldn’t decide which position he enjoyed more as it was a toss-up between Izaya’s facial expressions.  
  
Whenever Shizuo would top, Izaya would get this adorable look of determination on his face as he desperately tried to keep his moans to himself. His face would go red with the effort and he’d bite his lower lip, scraping his nails along the blonde’s back until they drew blood as he tried to pull his monster closer. Finally, he’d lose control to the point where Shizuo worried that the police would be called due to all the noise.  
  
Whenever Izaya would top, however, it was closer to gentle lovemaking. Shizuo was too afraid of hurting the brunette, so instead of mimicking the back scratching they would hold hands. Izaya would smile at him, foreheads touching softly and sweet kisses being exchanged. Shizuo felt cherished and loved, and Izaya would treat him as though he were made of glass.

 

The level of passion always remained the same, but the execution was much different. There was love and trust, and the unspoken agreement that neither would ever use what happened in the bedroom against the other. Whenever they slept together, they were completely honest with one another, leaving their pride at the door.  
  
Yes, sex was _very_ good in Shizuo’s opinion, which is why they had been sleeping with each other at least once a day ever since he lost his virginity. It was exhausting, especially at times like this when Izaya would find Shizuo in Ikebukuro, sparking a chase which climaxed on the roof of some building. By the time Shizuo had arrived this time, his flea was leaning against the edge, a sneer on his lips and his fly undone. His shirt had been moved a little higher than was natural, showing just the hint of pale flesh.  
  
“Not here.” Shizuo grumbled as he approached the brunette cautiously. Not only were they in public, but it was the middle of the day. Indecency laws existed for a reason!  
  
“What isn’t here?” Izaya replied innocently, looking around the empty rooftop.  
  
“Izaya,” Shizuo frowned. He really wasn’t in the mood for this today and was tempted to just throw the damn louse off the rooftop and be done with it. “If you want to do… that… just wait til I get off work. Don’t be so damn greedy.”  
  
“Shizu-chan, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” The brunette pushed himself away from the edge and swaggered his way over to the blonde, “I just wanted to say hello to my boyfriend.”  
  
Shizuo tilted his head down and peered at the shorter man over the top of his glasses. “Bullshit.”  
  
“Ne, Shizu-chan,” Izaya ran a palm down Shizuo’s chest, his hand catching on the pocket of the vest, “Can’t you believe me just this once?”  
  
Shizuo pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’re the informant, you tell me.”  
  
“You’re so cruel.” Izaya frowned and took a step backward, zipping up his fly quickly. “I did come for a reason, this was just a perk.”  
  
“What reason?”  
  
“I’ll be staying at that shoebox you call a home for a week, starting tonight.”  
  
“What?! Don’t just decide things on your own!”  
  
“We sleep together every night, I don’t see how staying in one location would be that much of an issue for you.”  
  
“Tch.” Shizuo scowled and fumbled for a smoke. Even if Izaya was right, that didn’t mean he had to like it. “Why?”  
  
“Do I need a reason to visit?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Maybe I’m just after your body.”  
  
“Like hell you are.” He exhaled, not caring about the smoke blowing into Izaya’s face. Little shit could get cancer for all he cared. “What are you up to?”  
  
“I don’t see why I should share the details with you. You will either get angry and ruin things, or you won’t believe me.”  
  
“So you are up to something.”  
  
“I always am, but this time it’s slightly different.” Izaya teased, though the mocking seemed forced. “How should I put this, I’m being stalked.”  
  
Shizuo blinked at him before he began to laugh, “Stalked? You? Ha!”  
  
“As humorous as it is, it is the truth. They are low-level though so it shouldn’t be anything to worry about.”  
  
“Who’s nuts enough to follow you around all day?”  
  
“Just some sad excuse for a woman who I played with. She admires me, you see, and thinks I’m some sort of fortune teller.”  
  
“So she’s in love with you.” Shizuo snapped the cigarette in his fingers without thinking, jealousy and anger beginning to flood his senses. In his mind, no one had the right to even _look_ at _his_ Izaya.  
  
“Obsessed might be the better word,” Izaya said calmly, as though he hadn’t noticed the blonde’s outburst. He stepped closer to his beast once again, pressing his body against Shizuo’s and resting his head on a firm chest. “I’ll take care of it, I just thought it’d be nice to have a sleepover.”  
  
Shizuo relaxed almost instantly at the touch, his arms raising by themselves to hold the smaller man. “Whatever. Don’t kill her though, it’s not right.”  
  
“I’d never kill a human, they’re far too wonderful! I’ll make sure she doesn’t come back, though.”  
  
“Good.” The blonde replied as he closed his eyes, not caring about what happened to the woman. It’d serve her right for following _his_ flea. “So that guy is with her, then?”  
  
“What guy?”  
  
“That one.” Shizuo pointed to the street below them to a figure who was looking around desperately. The debt collector had noticed him a few days ago but hadn’t been irritated enough to confront him.   
  
Izaya looked at the man and frowned, a look of concentration on his face.   
  
“Don’t tell me you didn’t notice him.”  
  
“It’s not that I didn’t notice, as much as it was wasn’t important and therefore the information was irrelevant.”  
  
“So you didn’t notice.”  
  
Izaya tried to push himself away from Shizuo, but the blonde kept him in place. “I guess there’s two reasons for me to stay with you, then.” Izaya sighed, giving up on escape.  
  
“Want me to go get him?”  
  
“No, the last thing I need is a monster terrifying one of my toys.” Izaya sang as he watched the man scurry around, “I’ll take care of it.”  
  
“If you say so.”  
  
“I do. Now, if you’d be so kind as to stop trying to crush me,” Izaya renewed his efforts and tried to wriggle away, though this time he was successful, “You should go find that senpai of yours. I’ll meet you at Russia Sushi when you finish work.”  
  
“So you don’t want to… you know…”   
  
Izaya stood on his toes and stared into his monsters dark eyes, “I thought I had to wait until you got off work?”  
  
“Like you ever listen to what I want!”  
  
“So Shizu-chan wants to do dirty things in public?” The brunette laughed, watching as Shizuo adjusted his glasses to hide his embarrassment.   
  
“Didn’t say that.”  
  
“You didn’t have to.” Izaya smirked, as he leaned in for a kiss. Shizuo really was adorable. Despite being so abnormal, the man was so old fashioned and easy to fluster. It made the informants heart race just a little and urged him to tease the blonde.  
  
As Izaya deepened the kiss and wrapped his arms around his beast’s neck, Shizuo let out a small noise in appreciation. His hands cupped the informant’s face gently, thumbs delicately moving along the alabaster skin as he lost himself in the feeling for a few moments. When a sharp pain in his lower lip brought him back to his senses, he broke the kiss gently and pressed his forehead against Izaya’s.  
  
“Sneaky little shit.” He breathed, though the words lacked any venom. “You aren’t gonna trick me, you have to wait until I finish work.”  
  
Izaya pouted dramatically, “Shizu-chan is no fun.”  
  
After a mischievous smile and a quick peck on the lips, the informant pushed the monster away and darted off, jumping to another roof. “See you tonight, Shizu-chan! Try not to eat anyone!”  
  
Shizuo scowled and lit another smoke. After that kiss, he’d have to wait a while to cool off before finding Tom. Leaning against the edge of the rooftop, he watched as the man who’d been looking for them gave up and wandered off, not realising that he himself was now being followed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Celty! You’re home!” Shinra yelled, happily running to the front door with his arms stretched out. “I missed you!”  
  
The dullahan closed the door behind her quietly before landing a punch in Shinra’s stomach, embarrassed by the display. They had guests, after all. She typed a message on her PDA and thrust it into his face.  
  
[ Don’t do that when we’re not alone! ]

  
“I just couldn’t restrain my love for you!” Shinra wheezed, “How was your meeting?”  
  
[ About that… Shiki told me I could tell you but no one else… ]  
  
[ Would it be rude of us to speak in the bedroom? ]  
  
The doctors eyes lit up and Celty instantly regretted mentioning that room. “Not at all! Let me go tell them and I’ll go have a quick shower and- ow ow ow!”  
  
[ Just talking! ]  
  
“If you insist, I can wait until they’ve left…” he replied, rubbing the cheek where he’d been pinched. Celty held out her hand and helped him to his feet and guided him to the living room.  
  
The guests murmured a series of greetings to the dullahan but stayed where they were, some too engrossed in conversation to pay her much mind. “Celty and I need to have a quick chat, so help yourselves to anything you need.” Shinra said as he continued to their room. Celty followed along behind him, hoping that no one would think they were up to anything risqué.

 

Mikado, who had been splitting his attention between the borrowed laptop and a certain classmate, looked up as the pair wandered off. He had the feeling that something was amiss, but decided not to dwell on it. Even if Shinra was a bit strange, he trusted the headless rider to keep him in the loop.  
  
“Would anyone like some more tea?” Anri asked the room, taking note of the replies before moving from the table and toward the kitchen.  
  
“Um, let me help you with that.” Mikado said as he closed the laptop, struggling to stand and follow the girl.  
  
“You stay, I help.” Simon said as he placed a large hand on the boys shoulder and forced him back into his seat. “Need rest.”  
  
Mikado blushed a little in embarrassment, frustrated at his lack of mobility before nodding. The giant Russian smiled at him before following the bespectacled girl to the kitchen.  
  
“Thank you for helping.” She said quietly as he boiled some water.  
  
“No problem. Used to serving.” The Russian replied. It was his job to serve others, and old habits die hard. “You okay?”  
  
Anri nodded in reply but averted her eyes. She hated having to wait and wanted nothing more than to run away and speak with her children. She needed to change her orders, stop the violence, and find whoever was behind all of this.  
  
“Hard to wait, but better.” Simon smiled knowingly, as though reading her mind. “In Russia, have saying: ‘Бери́сь дру́жно, не бу́дет гру́зно.’”  
  
“What does that mean?”  
  
“It mean, ‘Lots of hand, light work’.”  
  
Anri giggled a little, “We have that saying here as well.”  
  
“That because it true.” The Russian replied as he gathered cups, “All together will figure out, no need to fix by yourself.”  
  
Anri nodded once again and wondered if the Russian was aware of her secret. “I can’t remember who was having tea…”  
  
“Don’t worry, I help.” Simon said as he began to prepare the drinks, “Everyone drink, everyone happy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhh! Over 100k! What craziness!
> 
> Sorry for the late update, the story is getting a wee bit complicated with the timelines, so I'm trying to make it flow as nicely as possible. Thank you for reading! :D


	24. Messages.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the past, Shizuo is half naked.
> 
> In the present, Shinra receives a message.

It didn’t take long for the conversation to start circling, with what little information was available being repeated over and over again. Plans were drawn up, hesitantly at first but becoming more outlandish as time progressed (thanks to a certain pair of otakus). Before anyone knew it, it was already mid-afternoon and very little progress had been made.  
  
“This is getting us nowhere.” Kadota sighed as he rose to his feet. “We clearly aren’t getting anywhere talking about this. How about we go out for a drive?” His three friends hummed in agreement, rising to their feet and making for the exit. “Keep us updated.”  
  
After the small group had left, the younger Heiwajima cleared his throat. “We’ll leave as well.”   
  
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Shinra asked. “You might be a bigger target, considering your relationship with Shizuo-kun.”  
  
“We will be fine, but thank you for your concern.” Kasuka replied, stretching out a hand to help Ruri to her feet. “We will be staying at brother’s apartment tonight if you need us.”  
  
[ Please let me know if you need anything. ] Celty typed, directing her PDA toward Ruri. The idol smiled in return, and nodded her head slightly.  
  
More goodbyes were exchanged before the pair left the apartment, leaving behind a group considerably smaller.  
  
“Um,” Anri said, breaking the uneasy silence. She’d found it difficult to speak around so many people, but the smaller group was far less intimidating. “Is there anything I can do to help?”  
  
Shinra looked at Celty and rose to his feet, already knowing what she wanted. “Mikado-kun, I think I should change your bandages. Simon, would you mind helping Mikado into the spare room?”  
  
The Russian took a hold of the teenager and picked him up easily before Mikado could utter a word of protest. Dennis, having read the mood, excused himself as well.  
  
[ I know you’re worried, but there isn’t a lot we can do right now. ] Celty typed, sitting herself down beside the young girl.  
  
“I know… but, I was thinking that if I maybe spoke to some of Saika’s children I could get some more information.”  
  
Celty’s shoulders rose and fell in an imitation sigh. [ I can’t stop you from leaving, but it’s dangerous out there. You can look after yourself, but you shouldn’t go looking for trouble. ]  
  
“I don’t want to wait while people are getting hurt.” Anri replied, her voice barely loud enough to be heard. “I might be able to stop this.”  
  
Celty studied the girl in front of her. She hated waiting around herself, but had felt it better to come up with a plan. [ What if the Children make things worse? ]  
  
“They won’t!” The girl said a little too defensively, “They just… need better instructions.”  
  
[ Are you sure you can control them? ]  
  
Anri raised her head, staring into the place where the dullahan’s eyes should be. “I think so. I can at least make them stop fighting with the Dollars.”  
  
Celty placed a hand on Anri’s shoulder lightly, giving it a reassuring squeeze. [ Would you like a ride? ]  
  
Anri nodded and Celty typed a quick message to Shinra. Both the women stood up and left the apartment, Shinra’s phone chiming in the background.  
  
Neither of them noticed the abandoned laptop on the table as its screen flickered momentarily, becoming black as green text began to appear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kasuka had parked his car a few streets away from Shizuo’s apartment, not wanting to alert anyone to their presence there. He doubted that anyone would suspect that he and Ruri, both idols with a large disposable income, would choose to stay in the rundown flat instead of a hotel. Not that there was anything wrong with Shizuo’s flat; it had always reminded Kasuka of the house he’d grown up in in its simplicity and it made him feel safe.  
  
As they approached the front door, he pulled out the spare key and placed it into the lock as another hand moved the handle. The door had been slammed so many times that it was nearly impossible to get the thing opened unless you jiggled everything in just the right way. Unfortunately, there had been no need for the key as the door was unlocked.  
  
Kasuka pulled the key out slowly and motioned at Ruri to step behind him before he pushed the door open slowly, wood creaking as he did. Peering into the joint lounge and kitchen area, his eyes darted around in search of an intruder that apparently wasn’t there. He crept slowly in through the opening, feet managing to avoid the worst of the creaking floorboards as he walked.   
  
Ruri gave the lounge and kitchen another, more detailed search as Kasuka made his way to the bedroom. Seeing nothing (not even under the bed), he quickly checked the bathroom and found no clue that anything was amiss. He looked at Ruri who, after inspecting the coffee table, silently shook her head.  
  
It wasn’t like Shizuo to leave his door unlocked, as he had the utmost respect for rules and was a creature of habit. However, it wouldn’t be unexpected at all if he’d forgotten to lock up if he’d left with Orihara. Separately, the men were fearsome adults, known far and wide for many (mostly unflattering) reasons. Together, though, they were more like a pair of toddlers throwing tantrums.   
  
Kasuka checked the sink, finding an empty mug and wine glass sitting on the drying rack which confirmed his suspicions. He nodded at Ruri who walked quietly to the front door in order to lock it as he inspected the fridge. He was mildly amused to find thick black tape running down the middle, with a sickening amount of pudding on one side (each container having Shizuo’s name written on it) and an inhuman amount of Otoro on the other. He decided not to touch the food, instead pulling out the milk and pouring himself a glass.  
  
“I don’t think I’ve seen you drink milk before.” Ruri observed as she sat on the couch. “It makes you look like your brother.”  
  
“Brother makes me drink milk whenever I visit,” Kasuka swallowed the rest of his glass and poured himself another.  
  
“He isn’t here now, so he won’t know if you don’t.”  
  
After gulping down the second glass, he carefully rinsed his cup and returned the milk to the fridge. “He will.”  
  
Ruri sighed, a small smile making its way to her lips. She really couldn’t understand the Heiwajima brothers. Both of them were so different yet alike, and she’d often wondered about their parents. It was bizarre that, despite the abnormalities the brothers each had, both had somehow turned into such well-mannered adults. “How is your hand feeling?”  
  
The brunette walked over to the couch and sat himself beside his girlfriend, expression giving nothing away. “It’s fine.”  
  
“I never thought you’d actually hit someone.”  
  
“Neither did I.”

  
Ruri ran her fingers along the small bandage, finding herself somewhat impressed with her boyfriend. He must have hit the doctor hard if he had split his knuckles.  
  
“Ruri-san,” Kasuka started quietly, “Do you think my brother is a fool?”  
  
“I’m not sure.” Ruri’s fingers stopped moving and she considered the question carefully. “In what context?”  
  
“I was informed earlier that brother wouldn’t be aware of it if Orihara-san was merely playing with his feelings.”  
  
“So that’s why you hit him.” Ruri giggled just a little despite herself. “I think your brother would notice if that were the case.”  
  
Ruri shifted her weight so that she could lean her head on Kasuka’s shoulder. “Let’s watch some television, we’ve done enough talking.”   
  
Kasuka reached for the remote, pressing the power button and bringing the television to life. He flipped through the channels aimlessly, in search of something that wasn’t an infomercial, when Ruri asked him to stop. She took the remote and flipped two channels back to a newscast and turned up the volume.  
  
_“…vestigators are unable to say whether the fire was arson, though independent experts have stated it’s unlikely that it was an accidental fire. The blaze began on the third floor of the hotel at approximately twelve-thirty this afternoon and spread quickly, though there have been no reports of injury or death at this time.”  
  
_ The image of the reporter was replaced by footage of a hotel fire, and Kasuka felt his heart drop to his stomach as he read the caption at the bottom of the screen. The hotel was located in Miyazaki, not far from where he suspected his brother was staying.  
  
_“…to the quick thinking of the hotel manager, almost all of the guests were evacuated safely. Authorities are currently searching for the missing guest but have not made any progress at this time…”  
  
_ Ruri turned the volume off and looked at Kasuka, an unreadable look in his eyes. “Is that where your brother is?”  
  
“I don’t believe so.”  
  
“You don’t think he found Orihara-san there…” Ruri asked cautiously. Kasuka had told her earlier that Izaya had gone missing, and knew the men well enough to know that being in a relationship didn’t stop their death matches.  
  
“I don’t think so…” he replied, though he didn’t feel certain. “Should I call?”  
  
“I’m not sure. If he isn’t aware of the fire, he might worry needlessly.”  
  
Kasuka turned his eyes back to the television as the reporter returned to the screen. The report was over, it seemed, and it looked as though they’d begun discussing cats.  
  
“He’ll call me if there’s a problem.” The man decided, relaxing into the old couch.   
  
Ruri took the opportunity to move a little closer to her boyfriend and decided to take the chance to ask him a question she’d been wanting to for some time. “Why are you keeping everything from Shizuo-san?”  
  
She felt his body stiffen for a moment, before it relaxed once again. “I trust Orihara-san.”  
  
“Kasuka,” she said, using his first name without the honorific to convey her seriousness, “That doesn’t explain why you’re keeping things from him.”  
  
Kasuka closed his eyes and tried to put his feelings into words. “Ever since we were children, I’ve been protected by my brother. He has been emotional for some time, but he only tried to hurt me once.”  
  
“The first time he lifted something impossible?”  
  
“Yes.” Kasuka took a moment to remember the incident before he continued. “I’ve never been in a position to protect him.”  
  
“Do you think you’re protecting him now by not telling him the truth?” Ruri struggled to follow the logic of Kasuka’s decision. It made more sense to alert the blonde to danger rather than shield him from it.  
  
“Brother and Orihara-san have a complicated relationship, but I do not think he’d keep something from my brother without a good reason.”  
  
Ruri almost laughed at the statement, but was quickly shushed. “They are always honest with each other, whether it be about their mutual hatred, or about their mutual attraction. Neither can hide from the other, and brother has said that Orihara-san often boasts about his plans simply to anger him.”  
  
“So if Orihara-san were behind all of this…”  
  
“He would tease my brother.”  
  
It was hard to believe that the two idols were discussing adult men who were older than them, as the latter two behaved so childishly.   
  
“Would Orihara-san know about what’s happening here?”  
  
Kasuka nodded, “I believe so. It would be unlikely that he doesn’t.”  
  
“Why would he keep it from your brother?”  
  
“I can only think that it’s to protect him.” Kasuka said quietly, uncertainty polluting his answer.  
  
Unsure of what more to say, the pair fell into silence and watched as colourful advertisements danced on the screen in front of them.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**_A year and three months earlier, Shinjuku  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

“What are you so happy about?” Namie asked, though her tone betrayed her disinterest in hearing the answer. She’d only asked in order to stop the man in front of her from smiling like an idiot and muttering to himself as he spun wildly in his chair.  
  
“Is Namie-san wanting to know so she can share my joy?”  
  
“I’d rather kill the source of it.” She muttered, making no attempt to hide her annoyance. “You’re being irritating.”  
  
Izaya laughed loudly before abruptly halting his chair. “Is this how you greet people once they return home? No wonder that brother of yours ignores you.”  
  
A loud _click_ was heard when the woman took her anger out on an unsuspecting stapler, pushing it too hard into the corner of her paperwork and leaving a dent. “I don’t bother with manners if I’m conversing with an imbecile.”  
  
Izaya chuckled to himself at the retort. If her response was that uninspired, it meant that something had happened between Seiji and Mika that she didn’t like. He put that thought aside to examine later, when he’d have time to confirm. “You wound me, Namie-san. How cruel you can be.”  
  
“Hardly cruel enough, it would seem.” She responded, hands still sorting the papers in front of her whilst her eyes stayed glued to her computer. “Are you going to work or not?”  
  
“I have no work to do if you’re here,” Izaya answered cheerfully, “I’m in far too good a mood after this morning to do anything so boring, anyway.”  
  
“I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t bring your _love life_ into the office.” She spat the words out as if they were poison, her face contorting with disgust. “It’s disgusting enough that anyone would willingly become _involved_ with you, so keep your happiness to yourself.”  
  
“You’re beginning to sound jealous, Namie. If you aren’t careful, you’ll get wrinkles and become even more unappealing to your brother.” He tilted his head to dodge the now-airborne stapler, which managed to hit the wood between the glass windows behind him. “My good mood has nothing to do with that idiot, anyway. Something far more interesting happened.”  
  
Ignoring her uninviting silence, Izaya leapt from his seat and looked out at the world beyond his office. “I went to court today.”  
  
“Did you finally get caught for something, or should I not bother to get my hopes up?”  
  
“Of course it wasn’t for me,” He couldn’t help but be slightly insulted at her words. He took pride in the fact that he’d never once been arrested during his time as an informant. “I went to witness the fruits of my labour.”  
  
“And?” Namie asked, still disinterested. She knew exactly what her employer was talking about, as she’d already reviewed and filed the transcripts from the sentencing hearing.  
  
 “He didn’t say a word for the whole trial.” Izaya mused happily, “Not a single thing!”  
  
“Why is that so funny?”  
  
Izaya laughed loudly at the memory, “You should have seen his face, Namie. I’ve never seen anyone so humiliated!”  
  
“You’re sick.”  
  
“That isn’t the best part,” Izaya continued, turning his back to the window and looking at his secretary with a wry grin, “He didn’t speak, but he winked at me as he was led away!”  
  
Namie darted her eyes away from her computer to look at Izaya, feeling slightly unnerved by his mania. “I look forward to the beating Heiwajima gives you when he discovers your unfaithfulness.”  
  
Izaya ignored the woman in favour of his ramblings. “It’s so wonderful, isn’t it? How humans can be so surprising and predictable all at once? I can’t wait to see what he tries next!”  
  
“I don’t see what he could possibly do if he’s incarcerated.”  
  
“Oh, he’ll definitely do something, I suspect.” Izaya gestured dramatically with his arms, as if he were impersonating a Shakespearean actor. “He has already hired three different men to follow me, all who were easily _persuaded_ to stop, of course. Not to mention the attempts to frame me for various crimes.”  
  
Namie rolled her eyes. “You have strange hobbies. If I were still the chief of Yagiri Pharmaceuticals, I’d have you brought in for a vivisection.”  
  
“How interesting that could be, though I would have to pass I’m afraid.”  
  
It wouldn’t surprise Namie at all if Izaya actually laughed at excruciating pain and she suddenly felt as though Shizuo was his perfect partner. Turning her attention back to her work, she tuned out the man’s irritatingly over-excited voice with practiced ease.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“We did just as you said, Mother.” The blonde adult said as his eyes glowed, “We have been stopping the violence.”  
  
“How have you been doing that?” Anri asked hesitantly, unsure of whether she wanted to know the answer.  
  
“We have been stopping any violence that we see and cutting those who may become violent in the future.” The man replied somewhat proudly, wanting nothing more than to bring happiness to the one he called Mother.  
  
“I see.” Anri replied, looking over at the black rider before collecting her thoughts. “Thank you for helping me, but you can’t cut anyone. You only need to stop the violence you see, please don’t worry about it happening in the future. Please let others know.”  
  
The man nodded once before walking away, knowing he was dismissed. Anri walked back to Celty who had stayed perched atop Shooter.  
  
[ It’s not your fault. ]   
  
“I should have been clearer.” Anri replied, placing the helmet made of shadows on her head. “They’ve been cutting more people.”  
  
Celty nodded, not knowing what to say. The teenager was feeling guilty enough and she didn’t want to make things worse.  
  
“If you don’t mind, can we go to Sunshine 60? I can usually find a lot of Children there…”  
  
Celty nodded as the girl climbed back onto the motorcycle, wrapping her arms around the waist of the dullahan. Shooter neighed as he began to accelerate toward their destination, and Celty wondered if any gang leaders had been infected with Saika.  
  
_‘If I can talk to one of them, maybe I can find out more about Sato.’_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shinra left Simon and his patient in the makeshift clinic that was his spare room and walked out into the lounge. He stretched his arms overhead and wished that he could have said goodbye to his beautiful fairy before she’d left, instead of busying himself with misinforming the broken teenager.  
  
It was good that Shinra wasn’t a licensed doctor, as telling a patient their injuries were far worse than they actually were would be cause to revoke his license. Luckily, he didn’t have to worry about such things and the only one who was aware of his lies during the exam had been the huge Russian who’d carried his patient in there.  
  
Simon, though he didn’t have a medical background, had seen enough injuries in his lifetime to know that Mikado’s condition didn’t necessarily need to be observed and that the teenager would be more or less fine at home (as long as he had a pair crutches). Nonetheless, Simon didn’t say anything to dispute Shinra’s claims, only smiling broadly once he’d realised what was going on.   
  
He did hate violence, after all, and the idea that one child could be spared from the danger that lurked outside of the apartment made him quite happy. So happy, in fact, he’d volunteered to carry Mikado around whenever he was available to do so. Shinra had thought that the Russian might know more than he let on about Mikado, as it effectively prevented the teenager from doing anything Dollars-related when the Russian was in sight.  
  
The underground doctor cracked his back and sighed at the feeling, opening his eyes to scan the area. It looked as though Dennis had tidied up after everyone had left, for which he was thankful.   
  
“Shinra.” The white Russian said, as he walked into the room from the kitchen, “You might want to look at the laptop.”  
  
Curiously, Shinra made his way over to the table and peered at the computer screen. The background had gone completely black, with green text being the only thing that gave any indication that it hadn’t shut itself down.   
  
[ **HELLO.** ]  
  
[ **I AM SORRY TO INTRUDE LIKE THIS, BUT I WAS HOPING TO SPEAK WITH KISHITANI SHINRA.** ]  
  
[ **PLEASE DO NOT SHARE THIS MESSAGE WITH RYUUGAMINE MIKADO.** ]  
  
“When did this happen?” Shinra asked Dennis.  
  
“It’s been like that for a while.”  
  
The men were startled to see more text appearing on the screen.   
  
[ **I’VE ONLY WAITED FOR AN HOUR OR SO.** ]  
  
[ **PLEASE DO NOT BE ALARMED, BUT I’VE TAKEN THE LIBERTY OF TURNING ON YOUR COMPUTERS MICROPHONE.** ]  
  
[ **IF YOU’D PREFER, WE CAN COMMUNICATE THROUGH TEXT.** ]  
  
“No, no, that’s fine. I’m not a quick typist anyway.” Shinra chuckled to himself, being reminded of Celty and instantly feeling better. “Who are you?”  
  
[ **MY NAME IS TSUKUMOYA SHINICHI.** ]  
  
[ **I AM AN ACQUANTINCE OF BOTH YOUR FATHER, KISHITANI SHINGEN, AND YOUR…** ]  
  
The I-Beam Pointer on the screen blinked a few times whilst the person communicating with them was having difficulty finding a word.  
  
[ **…FRIEND, ORIHARA IZAYA.** ]  
  
[ **BEFORE YOU ASK, I AM NOT ORIHARA.** ]  
  
“If you were, you wouldn’t have described us as friends I suppose. He’s too cold to admit it.” Shinra responded. Though a part of him had wondered if it was Izaya, this person seemed altogether too polite to be the informant. “Why did you contact me today?”  
  
[ **AS YOU KNOW, ORIHARA AND HEIWAJIMA SHIZUO ARE ALIVE AND NOT IMPRISONED.** ]  
  
[ **I SPOKE WITH ORIHARA EARLIER THIS MORNING AND EXPECT THAT I WILL SPEAK WITH HIM AGAIN LATER TODAY.** ]  
  
“I see. Do you know what Izaya-kun is up to?”

  
[ **YES.** ]  
  
The men watching the computer waited for further explanation but received nothing. “You aren’t going to tell me what?”  
  
[ **IT’S NOT MY PLACE. UNLIKE ORIHARA, I CHOOSE NOT TO MEDDLE.** ]  
  
“Isn’t that what you’re doing right now?” Shinra asked. Anyone else would become annoyed at such an answer, but he’d spoken with Izaya enough times that such things were no longer bothersome.   
  
[ **I SUPPOSE YOU’RE RIGHT.** ]  
  
[ **I DECIDED TO GIVE YOU SOME ADVICE.** ]  
  
“What sort of advice?” Dennis wondered aloud.   
  
[ **THE LEADER OF THE DOLLARS NEEDS TO RESCIND HIS ORDERS IMMEDIATELY TO PREVENT FURTHER VIOLENCE.** ]  
  
[ **AS I’M SURE YOU’RE AWARE, THE DOLLARS ARE BEING USED AS A DISTRACTION.** ]  
  
“That does make sense.” Shinra said, adjusting his glasses. “If you knew I’d come to that conclusion, why are you speaking with me?”  
  
[ **I SAID EARLIER THAT I DO NOT LIKE TO MEDDLE. HOWEVER, I FEEL THAT I SHOULD WARN YOU ANYWAY.** ]  
  
[ **STOP LOOKING FOR SATO.** ]  
  
“Sato?” Dennis asked Shinra, turning his head to look at the bespectacled man.   
  
“I’m sorry, Dennis. Celty and I aren’t allowed to discuss that.”  
  
Realising that the censor likely came from the Awakusu-kai, Dennis decided not to prod the doctor for any more information and turned his attention to the laptop. “Why shouldn’t we look for whoever Sato?”  
  
[ **I CANNOT SAY.** ]  
  
[ **I UNDERSTAND THAT IT’S DIFFICULT TO TRUST THE WORDS OF A STRANGER, ESPECIALLY ONE YOU CANNOT SEE.** ]  
  
[ **HOWEVER, I HOPE THAT YOU CAN TAKE MY ADVICE.** ]  
  
“How do we know you aren’t Sato?” Shinra questioned.   
  
[ **I HOPE THIS PROOF WILL BE SUFFICIENT.** ]  
  
[ **PLEASE WAIT ONE MOMENT.** ]  
  
The I-Beam Pointer flickered as Shinra and Dennis waited. After a few moments, the volume bar appeared on the computer screen and rose steadily before a familiar voice came through the speakers..  
  
“ _Hello?_ ”  
  
“Tou-san?” Shinra said, disbelief in his voice.  
  
“ _Shinra? Haha! It is you Shinra._ ” The voice said happily, “ _I didn’t know you knew Tsukumoya!_ ”  
  
“I didn’t either.” Shinra replied  
  
“ _Don’t sound so annoyed at hearing your fathers voice! Today’s generation has no respect for their elders! It’s absolu- Oh?”_ Shingen paused, _“Oh alright then. Shinra, I have to leave now. I’ll come visit you in a few weeks. It seems as though you need a lesson in manners! How my only son grew up to be such a scoundrel, I’ll never know._ ”  
  
“Please don’t visit, you’ll upset Celty!”  
  
[ **I APOLOGISE BUT I HAD TO DISCONNECT THE CALL.** ]  
  
[ **I CAN PASS ON YOUR MESSAGE IF YOU’D LIKE.** ]  
  
Shinra sighed and hoped that his father wouldn’t decide to follow through with his threat. “No that’s fine. I’ll take care of it myself.”  
  
[ **AS YOU WISH.** ]  
  
[ **I’LL RETURN YOUR LAPTOP TO YOU NOW. IF YOU WISH TO DISCUSS ANYTHING IN THE FUTURE, PLEASE GET THE LINK TO MY CHATROOM FROM YOUR FATHER.** ]  
  
“You have a chatroom?”  
  
[ **I FIND IT’S A GOOD WAY TO KEEP IN CONTACT WITH PEOPLE.** ]  
  
“I’ve heard they’re quite fun.” Shinra mused, “Before you go, do you have any more advice? Or can you tell me how Shizuo-kun and Izaya-kun are?”  
  
[ **THOSE TWO ARE FINE BY THEIR STANDARDS.** ]  
  
[ **THE ONLY OTHER ADVICE I HAVE WOULD BE TO KEEP THIS CONVERSATION BETWEEN US. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS IT WITH THE BLACK BIKER, PLEASE FEEL FREE.** ]  
  
[ **HOWEVER, IT WOULD BE BEST TO KEEP IT A SECRET FROM MIKADO.** ]  
  
“Alright then. Thank you for dropping by!” Shinra said cheerfully, watching as the screen went completely black. He pressed the Space Bar once, and the laptop came back to life, displaying a browser with several open tabs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_Eleven months earlier, Ikebukuro  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

 ** _CRASH!  
  
BANG!  
  
_** “III-ZZAAAYYY-AAAA!” The Monster of Ikebukuro howled, using an impossible amount of strength to rip another sign out of the ground as he ran down the newly-emptied street, “GET BACK HERE!”  
  
Laughter floated through the air, sending shivers down the spines of anyone close enough to hear it, “I don’t feel like dying today, Shizu-chan. Why don’t we continue this at a later date?” The monsters prey called out, managing to stay ahead of his beast despite running backward. “You don’t look decent enough to be in public today anyway!”  
  
He narrowly dodged the sign-turned-javelin, spinning his body around as he did so and picking up the pace.  
  
“YOU BASTARD!” Shizuo yelled, anger over-riding his sense of decency. “TELL ME WHAT YOU DID WITH MY PANTS!”  
  
The uncontrollable giggling of the infamous informant came as the only reply. He sprinted toward a low hanging shop sign, jumping up to it effortlessly. Without stopping, he jumped to the top of a streetlight, then to another, and then another, finally stopping once he’d deemed himself to be far enough away.   
  
Pulling a smartphone out of his pocket, he pointed its camera toward the belligerent blonde. “Smile, Shizu-chan!”  
  
“Don’t take photos! Pervert!”  
  
“I wouldn’t take photos of you,” The brunette teased, “I’m taking a video! Isn’t it amazing how far technology has come?”  
  
Enraged, Shizuo howled and tore out one of the streetlights as he charged, holding it as you would a baseball bat. Swinging it, he knocked over the streetlight Izaya had perched himself on, sending metal flying into the storefront beside it. Izaya had jumped to the roof of a nearby building just in time, managing to avoid any injury more serious than a sprained ankle.   
  
He cursed himself for failing to stick the landing. “Shizu-chan, really. Do you have to take such offence at a harmless prank?”  
  
“HARMLESS?”  The beast answered, staring up at his flea, “Thanks to you, I’m late to work!”  
  
“That’s hardly my fault. I did leave you a replacement.”  
  
“I’M NOT WEARING A FUCKING SKIRT!”  
  
“It’s cruel that you’d deprive the city of your fabulous legs.” Izaya mused, experimentally adding weight to his injured ankle, “Or it would be, if you hadn’t decided to run around in your boxers.” Having gauged that his injury wouldn’t impair him, he waved at the beast before making his way to a higher rooftop.  
  
Shizuo, understanding his flea’s thoughts, ran to the building in question and climbed it smoothly, grabbing window frames to propel his body higher. They arrived at the same time and Izaya hid his shock. He hadn’t expected Shizuo to scale the side of the building.  
  
“Flea.” Shizuo muttered, making the nickname sound like the four-letter word it was, “Kasuka gave me those pants.”  
  
“How could I _possibly_ forget that your _precious brother_ gifted you that awful set of clothing?”  
  
“Don’t be a shit.” Shizuo said, approaching the brunette slowly, “You lost your chance to be jealous the second you made me run around the city in my underpants!”  
  
Izaya pouted, “You’ll wear what he gives you, but you refuse to wear my gifts. What am I supposed to think?”  
  
Shizuo’s reply was strained, barely concealing his rage, “I wouldn’t wear a fucking skirt even if Kasuka gave it to me and you know it.”  
  
Stopping barely a foot away from his boyfriend, Shizuo scowled. It was just like Izaya to fuck with him, he’d even expected it, but he thought it wouldn’t come into their private life. Izaya stubbornly kept his eyes on the honey-coloured pair in front of him and felt his revolve waver. This wouldn’t be giving in to Shizuo, he reasoned, this would be adapting his game to suit the situation.  
  
Reaching a hand into his open jacket, he grabbed the thin strap that ran along his chest and pulled it, bringing a small bag into view. He unzipped it, pulling out a neatly folded and rolled pair of black pants. “Here, it’s obvious you have no sense of humour and there’s no point in having you destroy any more of the city.”  
  
Shizuo snatched the fabric out of Izaya’s hands, unrolling it quickly and stepping into the pants without taking his eyes off the informants. Izaya sighed dramatically and looked over the ledge of the rooftop in order to give his beast some semblance of privacy.  
  
“Where are the rest of ‘em?” Shizuo asked as he zipped himself up, his anger subsiding now his legs were covered.  
  
“In the ceiling of that hole you call an apartment.”  
  
“In the… how’d you do that?”  
  
“I have my ways.” Izaya sang, as though that explained everything. Shizuo accepted the answer and decided to not ask any further questions on the matter.  
  
“Don’t know how you can call my place a hole.” He said, pulling out a smoke and sitting it between his lips, “You’ve lived there for over a month.”  
  
“I’m flattered that you think my presence raises its worth.”  
  
“That’s not what I said, fucking egomaniac.”  
  
“My, my, Shizu-chan! Where did you learn a big word like that?”  
  
“Shut up! I’m not an idiot!” Shizuo huffed, unwilling to admit he’d learned the word from Shinra a few days earlier when he’d been complaining about his shitty, shitty boyfriend. “Why’re you still there anyway? Only meant to stay a week.”  
  
“You don’t want me there?” Izaya turned to face the blonde, with his best impression of a hurt face.  
  
“Tch.” Shizuo took a long draw on his cigarette and congratulated himself mentally for not throwing the idiot off the roof. His self-control had really improved radically since he started co-habiting with his louse, “Thought you’d only stay until the stalker stuff stopped.”  
  
“That was the plan.”   
  
“And you took care of four of ‘em.” Shizuo said plainly, looking up at the sky as he thought, “Or was it five?”  
  
“Nine, if you include the ones from before I chose to grace your sorry excuse for an apartment.”  
  
“Nine, huh… Who’d be nuts enough to want to follow you around?”   
  
“You follow me all the time, Shizu-chan.”  
  
“Only ‘cause you steal my shit.” Shizuo’s actions once again contradicted his words, using a hand to brush the hair out of the smaller man’s eyes.  
  
“With this sort of treatment it’s a wonder I stick around.”   
  
“No one else’ll have ya, that’s why.” The blonde smiled, moving his fingers further down and resting a hand on the crook of Izaya’s neck. “Why’ve you got so many stalkers anyway? You do somethin’?”  
  
“Victim blaming never solved anything, Shizu-chan.” Izaya said, leaning into his monsters hold, “It would seem as though I attracted the attention of a man who believes himself to be on my level.”  
  
“Tch, last thing I need is two of you.” Shizuo replied, hoping his attempt at feigning annoyance was successful. “Need me to take care of it?”  
  
Izaya shrugged off Shizuo’s hand and turned his back to him, “I am more than capable of looking after myself.”  
  
“Yeah, but…”  
  
“But?” Izaya interrupted, “But what? A brute force solution would be better, in your opinion?”  
  
“Yes! I mean, no, I mean… Argh!” Shizuo snapped back. _‘I don’t want you to get hurt and I’ll kill any fucker who tries,’_ was what he meant but he couldn’t actually say it. Not while Izaya was awake and being a fucking arsehole. “Do what you want and see if I care. Just don’t steal my shit!”  
  
He turned away, hoping the leave before his louse said anything that could be mistaken for his last words. Reaching the fire escape, he angrily spat out his cigarette and stomped on it.   
  
“’But,’ right?” Izaya quoted as Shizuo began his decent, only just loud enough to be heard, “You too, Shizu-chan.”  
  
Shizuo looked over to the brunette briefly then resumed his decent with a crooked smile. _‘Fucking annoying shit! Saying shit to get me angry then saying that to stop me being angry! Bastard.’  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
_

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was dark by the time Celty and Anri had returned to the apartment. Celty had honestly been surprised at the number of Children Anri had spoken with in the city and once again felt wary of the girl. She was thankful that Saika lived inside the quiet girl, knowing that Anri would never use the power she had to hurt others.  
  
Her thoughts changed once they entered her apartment, having no embarrassing welcome committee to meet her. Walking slowly inside, she followed the sounds of hushed voices coming from the living room.  
  
“Celty! You’re home!” Shinra squealed, jumping up from his place on the couch, “I’m sorry I didn’t hear you come in! I’ll do anything to make it up to you!”  
  
[ What’s going on? ] She typed, ignoring the outburst as she noticed the serious faces of Simon and Dennis.  
  
“Oh, it’s nothing too serious.” Shinra chirped, “Anri, why don’t you check on Mikado-kun for me?”  
  
The girl nodded and apologised for intruding before making her way to the room she assumed Mikado was in.   
  
[ Did something happen? ]  
  
“Nothing awful. Why don’t you come sit next to me?” Shinra reclaimed his seat, patting the space next to him gingerly. Knowing he’d probably refuse to disclose anything until she followed his direction, she walked over to the couch.  
  
The men were quiet as she took her seat, sharing looks amongst themselves. Shinra, ignoring the atmosphere, began to speak happily.  
  
“We had a visitor while you were gone! Well, he didn’t visit in person, but I think it counts as a visit anyway.”  
  
[ A visitor who didn’t visit? What does that mean? ]  
  
“He came to visit using the laptop we loaned Mikado-kun. He said he knows Izaya-kun and my father, he even proved it by putting me in touch with my father!” Shinra chirped, “On a sad note, Tou-san said he wants to visit soon… but don’t worry, I’ll tell him he isn’t welcome!”  
  
[ That doesn’t matter right now! ] Celty typed, though she really didn’t want to see Shingen any time soon. [ What did he want? ]  
  
“Oh! He told me to stop looking for Sato and to get Mikado-kun to stop ordering the Dollars around.” Celty frantically began typing but Shinra interrupted her, already knowing what she was likely to say. “Don’t worry, my honey! I didn’t tell Simon and Dennis about Mikado-kun or Sato! Tsukumoya used Sato’s name in front of Dennis, and they both already know about Mikado-kun!”  
  
Celty deleted what she’d written, typing something else entirely before she turned to face the two Russians. [ I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply anything. ]  
  
“Is fine. Secret is secret!” Simon replied, “We say nothing.”  
  
“It’s as Simon says, we tend to keep these things to ourselves.” Dennis added, “We have no desire to get involved any more than we have to.”  
  
Celty nodded but still felt a little guilty. She should have known that those two would be just as informed, if not more so, than she was. She returned her attention to the doctor and tried to ignore his attempts to shuffle closer to her. [ Why do we need to stop looking for Sato? ]  
  
“He didn’t say.” Shinra replied, “I think you’ll be happy though, he said Izaya and Shizuo are doing fine!”  


Celty’s body imitated a sigh of relief and she felt the tension she hadn’t noticed instantly disappear. She’d been incredibly worried about the two men, more so than she’d realised. [ Have told Mikado yet? ]  
  
Shinra frowned, “No. Tsukumoya asked us not to tell Mikado-kun about anything.”  
  
[ Then how do we get him to stop? ]  
  
“That’s what we’ve been trying to figure out.” The doctor replied, “Why don’t you get your laptop? It’ll be easier for you to communicate with everyone if you use it.”  
  
Celty nodded and used her shadow to stretch out and grab the laptop. It was something she wouldn’t usually do when they had company, but she felt the Russians wouldn’t be perturbed by the display. Once it was in front of her, she opened a program and placed it on the coffee table so the screen could be seen by the three men. All she’d have to do was type the message into her phone, and the laptop would display whatever was written.  
  
[ Simon, Dennis. Thank you for helping us with this. ]  
  
[ Would you like anything to eat or drink? I’m not very good at cooking but I don’t mind trying… ]  
  
“Is good, we eat.” Simon replied. “We talk, is good.”  
  
“If one of you talk to Mikado about stopping the orders it might help.” Dennis tried, having already suggested this option earlier. It had been dismissed without an explanation by Shinra, but he hoped the dullahan might have some thoughts.  
  
[ I could, but… ]  
  
[ He might get worried and do something worse if he thinks he did the wrong thing. ]

 

[ He’ll try to fix it. ]  
  
Shinra nodded, “It’s as Celty says. You really do know people so well!”  
  
[ Maybe we could just stop him from using the internet? ]  
  
“Won’t the current orders stay in effect if you do that?” Denis responded, “From what I’ve heard, that could make things even worse.”  
  
“Are we sure he’s actually sending out orders?” Shinra asked, “Maybe he was only asking for a group in case of an emergency?”  
  
“No, he order.” Simon said, pulling out his phone and placing it on the table, displaying his most recent texts. “Am in group. Order not good, lots of violence.”  
  
“Mikado-kun,” Shinra murmured as he read through the messages. It was hard to believe that the soft-spoken boy in the next room was capable of becoming a general. Even more surprising was that the orders seemed to be quite impressive and strategic, focusing mainly on taking out what the boy considered to be enemy strong holds. “This is worse than we thought.”  
  
[ What was the last order? ] Celty asked, craning her helmet to look at the phone.  
  
“Don’t stop, keep fighting.” Simon said sadly.  
  
“Not only that, it looks like he wants them to interrogate whoever they can.” Shinra added, placing the phone back onto the table. “This is worse than we thought.”  
  
The room sat in silence, with its occupants looking toward the spare room. Mikado had the hidden ability to be quite dangerous to an extent that none of them had noticed.  
  
Shinra broke the silence first, “It’s even stranger that he’s managed to do all of this without Izaya-kun’s assistance. You would think that he of all people would be poking his nose into all of this.”  
  
“Is strange,” Simon added, “I-zay-a too quiet.”  
  
[ Maybe he’s too busy with Shizuo? They are together… ]  
  
Shinra shook his head, “No, I think Izaya definitely knows something is happening here. Tsukumoya essentially confirmed it.”  
  
[ Did he say what Izaya is doing? ]  
  
“No, but he said he knew _what_ he was up to.” Shinra replied, “It’s as good as saying he’s aware of the situation.”  
  
Celty nodded. [ So what do we do? ]  
  
“Tell Mikado.” Simon said, before quickly adding the rest of his thought, “Tell Mikado as Dollars.”  
  
“That could work.” Dennis agreed.   
  
“What do we say?” Shinra asked the Russians.  
  
“Leave to me.” Simon said confidently. “I tell Dennis, Dennis tell Dollars.”  
  
Though sceptical, the dullahan and the doctor reluctantly agreed and left the men to speak in Russian amongst themselves, choosing to wait in the kitchen.   
  
“How did things go with Anri-chan?”  
  
[ She spoke to a lot of Saika’s Children so I think it’s okay… ] Celty replied.  
  
“What’s wrong?” Shinra asked, reading Celty’s body language. She seemed bothered by something.  
  
[ It’s nothing… ]  
  
[ Well, it’s not nothing… Promise me you’ll never make Anri-chan mad! ]  
  
[ There are so many Children… ]

[ I don’t think I could protect you! ]  
  
Shinra stopped the Celty from her frantic typing and smiled. “Don’t worry about that! Anri-chan wouldn’t do anything to hurt us.” Celty nodded and let herself be brought in for a hug. It was unnerving to see the amount of red-eyed humans, but Shinra was right to trust Anri. “Besides, I’ll kill her in her sleep if she ever decides to hurt you!”  
  
With the mood gone, Celty pinched the doctor’s cheek hard and typed with her other hand. [ Don’t even joke about such things! ]  
  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mikado watched Anri from his bed. She’d fallen asleep on the chair she’d pulled up, her head resting on the mattress by his feet. When he’d first noticed that she’d fallen asleep he’d blushed furiously and attempted to wake her, but eventually gave up. It was comforting to have her there with him.  
  
He tried to focus on the laptop in front of him, surfing through tabs quickly as he absorbed any relevant information. He’d sent out his final order hours earlier and hoped that the Dollars would come through for him. As much as he hated it, he was in no condition to walk the streets and find what he needed alone.  
  
Refreshing the front page once again, he came across a new post which piqued his interest. Though it was new, it had already received tens of replies.   
  
[ **_Hello… I’m sorry to bother you all, but I don’t know who else to turn to. My brother is a member of the Dollars and I’m using his account to talk with you. My younger brother decided to help the Dollars and to be a part of the mission that the Founder mentioned, but he was very weak. He isn’t a good fighter to start with, but he’d only recently had an operation and was still recovering…_** ]

****

[ **_I found him a few hours ago near our house. He’d passed out and was covered in blood so I had to call an ambulance. The doctors said he’d be fine, but his spirit has been crushed. I’m asking you all, please stop fighting! Anyone can join the Dollars and you don’t know about their circumstances! My brother wanted to help because of all the kindness he received online when he was alone in his hospital bed, but now he’s hurt again._** ] ** _  
  
_** [ **_Please stop the fighting! I’m begging you! Don’t let anyone else get hurt!_** ]  
  
Mikado bit his lip and scrolled through the replies. Many of the posters were chiding the poster, arguing that it served their brother right for getting involved when he wasn’t a fighter to begin with. Others seemed to agree with the poster, commenting with their own horror stories and anecdotes about elementary and middle school children being directed to crack down on gangs.  
  
Hitting the ‘Reply’ button, he stared at the empty space as if it would give him any answers. Sighing, he typed a short message and hit enter. He closed the tab and picked up his phone, sending another message to the volunteers he’d been directing, then another to Celty.  
  
Closing the laptop and moving it to the small metal tray table beside him, he watched as Anri took heavy breaths. He’d find a better way of protecting everyone, a way that included fewer casualties.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_BRRZT!  
  
PING!  
  
BRRZT! BRRZT!  
  
_ Three phones sounded almost simultaneously, causing those in the living room to jump. Celty was the first to check her phone as it had been in her hand at the time. Exiting out of the message, she reopened the program she’d been using to communicate with the others via the laptop.  
  
[ That was Mikado. He said Anri has fallen asleep and he’s worried about her getting sore muscles. ]  
  
Shinra chuckled at the teenager, “Should I go wake her?”  
  
[ It’s okay, I’ll carry her to her bed. ] Celty replied, making her way to the spare room.  
  
“Ah, before you do.” Dennis said, looking away from his phone, “You might be interested in this. Our post just received a response from Mikado.”  
  
Celty turned around, [ What did it say? ]  
  
“It says… ‘I’m very sorry to hear about your brother. I’ll see what I can do.’”  
  
“That seems a little anticlimactic,” Shinra mumbled.  
  
“Look this.” Simon said, passing his phone to Dennis. Though he was able to read Japanese, repeating it could be troublesome.  
  
“Ah, the newest order is in. ‘Stand down for now but do not hesitate to defend yourself’.”  
  
[ That’s good! ] Celty typed.  
  
“If people listen it will be good.” Shinra said, adjusting his glasses. “Let’s hope they do.”  
  
“Yes, violence can be hard to stop once people have become used to it.”  
  
Simon frowned, nodding his head in agreement.   
  
[ I’m sure they’ll stop. They can’t all be bad people. ] Celty tried, though her positivity did little to bolster the mood of the room.  
  
“Hope you right.” Simon said, “Should go, is late.”  
  
“Time got away from us, it seems.” Shinra replied, standing in time with the two Russians, “Thank you for your help today.”  
  
“No problem. Come, eat sushi, have date.” Simon replied, his wide smile back on his face.  
  
“A date? That sounds perfect!”  
  
Celty shook her head, [ Thank you, we will. ]  
  
“Please keep us updated and let us know if there’s anything else we can do to help.” Dennis said over his shoulder as he exited.   
  
“Have a safe trip home!” Shinra replied, though it was more out of courtesy than anything. It was highly unlikely that anyone would try to attack either of the men.  
  
[ That went well. ]   
  
“Mm, it did!” Shinra chirped happily, “Perhaps we could celebrate later! There’s no better way to say ‘Good Job!’ than getting naked an- ow ow!”  
  
[ We have guests! ]  
  
Shinra rubbed his side, “I wouldn’t want anyone to hear and try to run off with you, so perhaps it’s better to refrain. Ah! It will be so difficult to stop myself!”  
  
[ I’m going to take Anri to bed now. ]  
  
“I’m so jealous…” the doctor pouted, and Celty knew he was being serious. She shook her head in reply and left the doctor to his devices.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright! This was meant to be posted yesterday, but I ended up writing a _lot_ more than I'd originally intended (even though present-day Izaya and Shizuo don't make an appearance!). In fact, this chapter is just under 8000 words, so I'm sorry if it's a bit too long!
> 
> In any case, thank you for reading and feel free to point out any typos you might spot. :D


	25. Connecting Chapter: Soap suds.

Shizuo awoke in darkness, the cool ocean breeze and salty smell invading the room. He’d fallen asleep with his back resting against the headboard which resulted in a stiff neck. Wincing, he pushed himself further down the bed and into a more comfortable position.  
  
“Even Shizu-chan gets a sore neck if he sleeps sitting.” A voice spoke softly, “Who would think the monster would be bested by a slab of poorly-crafted wood?”  
  
“That you Flea?” Shizuo mumbled sleepily, “Shut up and get back into bed.”  
  
“I think a shower first might be preferable.” Izaya replied, and Shizuo heard the sounds of a zipper and clothing being rustled.  
  
“Shower?” the blonde questioned. It was too late for a shower, especially since they’d both been asleep until now. The thought rolled around in his head as the haze of sleepiness began to lift. “Ah! You!”  
  
“Me?”  
  
Shizuo sat bolt upright, “You! You left!”  
  
“So kind of you to notice.” The brunette replied, the sound of a zipper making itself known again.  
  
“You…” Shizuo sniffed the air, “You stink! More than usual, I mean. Is that smoke?”  
  
“You’re the one who smells of smoke, Shizu-chan. Did you really spend all day chain-smoking?”  
  
“Don’t change the subject!” Shizuo growled, “Where the fuck were you?”  
  
“No place special.” Izaya sighed, “Why, did you miss me?”  
  
“Tch.” The monster dragged himself out of the bed clumsily and made his way over to the informant, “Answer the question!”  
  
“I already did,”  
  
“What were you doing?”  
  
“Just using the internet. I thought you might like some time to yourself.”  
  
“The fuck sort of excuse is that?” Shizuo asked angrily, “You can’t just leave without a note! We didn’t even have breakfast!”  
  
“If it’s that important to you, I’ll leave you breakfast next time.”  
  
“No next time!” the blonde snapped, leaning in toward the brunette, “Don’t just run off like that again!”  
  
“Why not?” Izaya laughed, his tone condescending, “Don’t tell me Shizu-chan was _worried_? Haha!”  
  
Shizuo’s eyes narrowed into slits and he clenched his hands into fists, resisting the urge to resort to violence. “What if I was, eh?”  
  
Izaya stopped his laughter, “Don’t be ridiculous.”  
  
“Shut up! Can’t you just shut up and stop being such a dick just once?” Shizuo threw his arms out in front of him in an attempt to capture the smaller man. Izaya dodged, but backed himself into a wall, allowing the blonde to take hold of him. “You just leave for a whole fucking day and come back stinking like smoke…”  
  
“Very astute observations.” Izaya replied nonchalantly, as if being captured by a man capable of literally ripping him in half was boring.  
  
“When did you get back?”  
  
“Around five minutes ago. I must say, it isn’t particularly safe to leave the balcony doors open. Anyone could climb in.”  
  
“You came in through the… Whatever.” Shizuo tightened his grip on Izaya’s arms, “What’s the time?”  
  
Izaya craned his neck in order to see illuminated numbers on the clock by the bed, “A little after three am.”  
  
“Three!” Shizuo scrunched his toes in an effort to divert his anger. “So you leave before I wake up and come crawling back in at three in the fucking morning and you didn’t think I’d be pissed off?”  
  
“Not particularly.”  
  
“Is everyone fucking nuts today?” Shizuo mumbled to himself. He released one of Izaya’s arms, opting to rub his own forehead instead. “I dunno what’s going on, but you can’t just…”  
  
“Just what? You aren’t my keeper, and I have nothing to do with Kasuka ‘being weird’, as you so eloquently put it.”  
  
Shizuo cringed, “You read that?”  
  
“Who knew you were such a detective?” the brunette teased, “Or are you looking to become an informant? I can show you the ropes if you’d like.”  
  
“Izaya.”  
  
“Yes?” came the exasperated reply.  
  
“Don’t do that again. Not here, at least.”  
  
“…”  
  
Shizuo yanked on the arm he was still holding, causing Izaya to be pulled into his chest. Wrapping his arms around the brunette, Shizuo sighed heavily. He knew this would happen again, and he knew there was nothing he could do to stop it. Izaya wriggled in an attempt to find a supply of oxygen, his face managing to surface just below the blonde’s neck.  
  
“Why are you so clingy?” he asked, though he made no attempt to escape, “I’ve left for longer stretches in the past.”  
  
“I didn’t check your suitcase.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“Your suitcase… you left it here.” Shizuo replied, dipping his head to plant a dry kiss on the brunette mop, “I wanted to check for clues, but I didn’t. Like, I wanted to but I talked to Kasuka and he said I shouldn’t and I didn’t…”  
  
“Clues?”  
  
“To see where you went.”  
  
Izaya giggled, “Perhaps you should consider my tutelage after all.”  
  
“Nah.” The blonde’s hold slackened and the brunette broke free. “Should have that shower. You really stink.”  
  
“You don’t exactly smell of roses yourself.” Izaya retorted, “Why don’t you have one with me? I’ll wash your back.”  
  
Shizuo nodded, grabbing his sweats from where he’d thrown them that morning. He followed Izaya into the bathroom and stripped whilst the other man ran the water.  
  
“What did you and Kasuka talk about?” Izaya asked. Given that his monster hadn’t murdered him, he guessed that the younger brother wasn’t aware of the situation in Ikebukuro.  
  
“Eh? Oh…” Shizuo scratched his head, “Trust and stuff, I guess.”  
  
“How riveting.” Izaya said as he stripped, throwing his clothes out the bathroom door, “And that made him seem ‘weird’?”  
  
“No, that’s…” Shizuo struggled to find the right words, “You read what I wrote, right? He kept sayin’ to trust you and stuff, and he sounded a bit panicked.”  
  
“Kasuka-kun sounding anything other than bored would be a miracle…”  
  
“Don’t say shit like that, he has feelings! Not his fault everyone is too dumb to see!”  
  
“So you always say,” he turned off the water and stepped into the tub slowly, relishing the newfound heat, “Why would he be panicked?”  
  
“I dunno,” Shizuo said as he followed his flea, “But it’s weird, y’know? He’s meant to be filming this love movie but he said they were doing an action scene today.”  
  
“Action in a romance?” Izaya chuckled, spreading his legs so that Shizuo could sit between them.  
  
“Yeah, sounded pretty loud too.”  
  
Izaya splashed the water with his hand as he thought. “I suppose stranger things have happened.”  
  
“I guess.” Shizuo replied, “Oh, and he wanted to stay at my place tonight as well. Dunno why though, his apartment is a lot nicer.”  
  
Izaya stiffened momentarily, his heart caught in his throat. “I see.”  
  
“Yeah.” Shizuo replied, having missed the reaction. “Thought you were going to wash my back?”  
  
Izaya brought his lips into a tight smile as a thousand thoughts raced through his mind. Without a word he pushed his beasts back just a little and scrubbed him down, receiving appreciative noises in return. Given Shizuo’s high tolerance for pain, being rubbed raw with a scrubbing brush felt more pleasant than painful.  
  
_‘Kasuka shouldn’t be in Ikebukuro if he’s filming a movie. He shouldn’t have a need to stay at Shizu-chan’s flat. He shouldn’t be filming an action sequence for a romantic film-’_  
  
“Still feels like there’s something goin’ on I don’t know about.” The blonde mumbled once he’d been cleaned, unknowingly interrupting Izaya’s frantic thoughts. His gut was telling him there was a secret he wasn’t in on, and it had never led him astray before.  
  
“You’re just paranoid.” Izaya replied, hoping he was believable. “Do my back.”  
  
The water sloshed as the men shifted their positions and Izaya leaned forward. Tender fingertips traced his back, lightly moving soap suds over the pale skin.  
  
“Maybe…” Shizuo murmured, understanding that if there were some conspiracy of silence Izaya would be the last to make him aware of it. “What d’ya want to do tomorrow?”  
  
“Hmm… I think I’d like to stay in.”  
  
“I just did that today! Shouldn’t we go sightseeing or something?”  
  
“Too tired.”  
  
“What about that place you wanted to go? Uh… starts with a K…”  
  
“Kirishima?”  
  
“Yeah.” A cupped hand poured water down Izaya’s back, “Gonna have to go there soon, won’t have time otherwise.”  
  
“No, I don’t much feel like visiting there anymore.”  
  
“What happened to wanting to ‘be with the gods’?”  
  
“If I want to see a god I’ll look in the mirror.” The brunette replied tiredly, “They’re all idiots, anyway.”  
  
“No wonder you fit in…”  
  
Izaya smiled and closed his eyes, leaning back onto Shizuo’s broad chest.  
  
“Oi! Don’t fall asleep in here, you’ll catch a cold!”  
  
“The water is still warm…”  
  
“Tch, idiot.” Shizuo scolded. He traced his fingers along Izaya’s bicep absentmindedly. The idiot would fall asleep no matter what he said, so he’d just have to carry him out and dry him off.  
  
That could wait for later though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright! I was a bit unsure of what to do with this, as it happens so early in the morning. So, I've decided to post it as a connecting chapter so that it flows a bit more smoothly.
> 
> Two updates in one day... I surprise myself! :D


	26. Falling Rain.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In Ikebukuro, Shinra has some visitors drop by.
> 
> In Miyazaki, Shizuo hopes Izaya drops dead.

Shinra puttered around the apartment, stuck in an endless cycle of making noise, trying to be quiet, then forgetting about his guests once more and making more noise. He had a selective memory when it came to other humans, often forgetting about them all together to make additional room for Celty.  


He turned on the television and sat down to eat his breakfast (fruit, since his wonderful fairy had left the apartment early that morning), he thought about the night before. Simon and Dennis had really come through with their post on the Dollars website. They’d not only managed to stop Mikado from sending out more orders, but had opened the eyes of many other Dollars members to the reality of the situation.  
  
Finishing his apple, he barely paid any attention to the news program or the panicked reporter. This was Ikebukuro and Shinra felt as though no one should be surprised as to what happened here. The city was rife with oddities, after all.  
  
“Good morning,” A small voice spoke from behind the underground doctor, causing him to turn around.  
  
“Good morning, Anri-chan.” He responded cheerfully, “How did you sleep?”  
  
“Fine, thank you.” She replied, shifting on her feet as though she wanted to add something.  
  
“Celty had to go out this morning, she should be back a little later.” The man smiled, “Help yourself to breakfast.”  
  
The girl nodded before making her way to the kitchen and opening up the fridge. Shinra followed her, disposing of the apple core. Looking at her once again, he had the feeling that something was bothering her.  
  
“Is everything alright?” He asked softly, hoping to come across as kind.

 

The girl froze, eventually closing the door to the refrigerator. Turning to face the bespectacled man, she opened her mouth to reply-

 

 _Knock, knock, knock!  
  
_ Both Shinra and Anri jumped a little at the sound of someone knocking on the door. Shinra briefly wondered if it was Shizuo, as everyone else he knew used the doorbell.  
  
Giving Anri an apologetic look, the doctor made his way to the front door.  
  
_Knock, knock, knock!  
  
_ The knocking resumed, accompanied by the doorbell. Shinra quickened his pace, a frown settling on his lips as he went. Didn’t these people have any patience?  
  
He unlocked the door and opened it, prepared to give whoever was on the other side a lecture on manners. What he saw, however, stopped him in his tracks.  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_One hour earlier, Ikebukuro  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

Yawning, Kadota fought to keep his eyes open. It had been a while since he’d had a job start this early in the morning and he was finding it difficult to wake himself up. Luckily for him, Togusa had offered to give him a ride to the job site so he had managed to sleep for an extra hour.  
  
“Should have had a coffee.” Togusa said as he navigated the streets. It was still early so there wasn’t much traffic.  
  
“It’s fine.” Kadota replied. _‘A man should be able to wake up without help.’  
  
_ Togusa accepted the unconvincing answer and chose not to respond. They’d stop shortly to grab some milk, so the man would hopefully wake up by then. Without taking his eyes off the road, he reached a hand toward the van’s stereo and pressed a button. The too-loud sound of the songs introduction filled the air, eliciting a wince from Kadota.  


_Hey, do you know?_

_What appears in our dreams and illusions._

_Under the grey sky, I walk, searching for you._

  
It was far too early for such a sugary song, but Kadota knew better than to imply such a thing to the vocalists biggest fan. Hoping to get used to the racket, he looked out the window and at nothing in particular. Ikebukuro looked as it always did, though it was a little emptier than usual.

 

_The words you spun, the past the was closed off-_

_What I hear is the sound of a closed footstep._

The van stopped at the red light as Togusa hummed along to the song with a massive smile on his face. Kadota sighed at the sight before turning back to the passenger side window, feeling as though he was intruding on an intimate moment.  
  
“Huh?”  


_(Falling rain) The forest of destiny_

_(Tears for you) Is a deeply sleeping memory_

_The spiderweb threads are softly connected_

_Before they’re reeled in,_

_I wonder if I’ll be able to see a gentle light_

The upbeat chorus was an inappropriate soundtrack for the scene unfolding in front of his eyes. Kadota nudged Togusa, pointing out the window. The driver placed the van into neutral and pulled the hand break before the exiting the vehicle. The pair walked over to the alleyway cautiously, wondering if what they were seeing was actually in front of them.

 

It wasn’t an illusion, though it might have been a trick. In front of them, clouded by cigarette smoke, was the back of a tall blonde bar tender speaking quietly with a shorter brunette wearing a fur trimmed jacket.

 

“Shizuo? Izaya?” Kadota spoke over the muffled voice of Togusa’s idol, not quite believing what he was seeing. The two men weren’t due back for days, but here they were. They’d somehow managed to slip into Ikebukuro without being noticed and were just standing around in an alleyway.  
  
The men in question had apparently not heard their names, as they continued their whispered conversation with their backs turned. Kadota gave Togusa a look and received a shrug in return. Though the music from the van was loud, the men in question had always exhibited amazing senses. It was almost impossible to sneak up on either of them.  
  
Suspicious of the situation, Kadota pulled out his phone and called Izaya, only to be directed to voicemail. Alarm bells began to ring in his head, as the informant would _never_ be in Ikebukuro without his cell turned on. Regardless, Kadota couldn’t just leave these two dubious characters alone in the alley.  
  
He slowly walked forward, stopping mere feet away from the pair. From this angle, he still couldn’t see their faces but was far enough away to dodge any fists that might come flying his way.  
  
“Yo.” He tried again, noticing the way the blonde’s shoulders tensed at the sound. “Shizuo, Izaya.”  
  
What happened next was a blur of colour and pain. The blonde had whipped around, side-stepping in order to allow the prongs of the tasor that the brunette was holding to connect with Kadota’s chest. He fell to the ground, spasming as electricity coursed through his veins. He could hear Togusa yell something he couldn’t quite make out before everything went black.  
  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Quick, bring them in through here.” Shinra said loudly, pushing the door open before jogging to the makeshift clinic that was his spare room.  


He threw open the door and grabbed his bag, ignoring the startled noise of the patient occupying the bed. Making his way back to the living room, he gave both men a cursory glance in an effort to decide who needed his care first.  
  
“Is there anything I can do?” Anri asked, her voice a little panicked.  
  
“Help Mikado-kun out here so we can free up the clinic.” Shinra muttered, descending on the man he deemed to be more injured. There was blood pooling on the couch, dripping from a deep gash on his chest.  
  
“What happened?” He asked as he cut the shirt open with surgical scissors.  
  
“I’m not sure.” The dreadlocked man replied.

 

“Oh god…” Mikado said as he stumbled into the living room. Anri had warned him, but nothing could have prepared him for the sight.

 

“Anri, I need your help.” Shinra ordered as he worked, “Check Togusa-kun for wounds and tell me what you find.”  
  
The girl moved quickly toward the other man and hesitantly lifted removed his shirt. It had been sliced in parts anyway, but she wanted to avoid injuring him further.  
  
“T-there are cuts all over his chest…. And his arms.” He replied.

 

“How deep?”  
  
“There’s too much blood to see…” she responded with a frown. She was used to blood, but the sight of it leaking from someone she knew turned her stomach.  
  
“Tom-san,” Shinra said, directing his attention back to the dreadlocked saviour of the two bleeding men whilst he began stitching, “What happened when you found them?”  
  
“I really don’t get it.” Tom shifted on his feet nervously, “It looked like Izaya and Shizuo…”  
  


_**_

**_Twenty five minutes earlier, Ikebukuro  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

Tom hated working early in the morning. Not only was it boring, but the debtors he was chasing were always just a little bit snappier with him. He couldn’t really blame them for it since he woke them up, but it annoyed him anyway.  
  
Sometimes, however, he met a seemingly kind person who actually _did_ want to pay off their loans. It was incredibly rare, but he was thankful that he’d come across such a person this morning. They’d been walking to an ATM so that the man could withdraw the remainder of the amount owed (so he said) when they’d heard music.  
  
“Isn’t that Ruri-chan?” The debtor asked.  
  
“No idea,” Tom replied, thankful that Shizuo wasn’t there. He’d surely take it as an insult if someone referred to his brother’s girlfriend so familiarly.  
  
“Ah, I think it is…” the debtor continued, humming along to the song. “What was that?”  
  
“What was what?”  
  
“It sounded like someone yelling…” The man replied as he stopped moving.  
  
“I didn’t hear any-”  
  
The yell became a scream, forcing both men to turn their heads to its location. “Do you think it’s those zombies?”  
  
“I don’t know…” Tom replied. He was torn between staying out of trouble and going to investigate, but another scream made the decision for him. “You mind if we check it out?”  
  
“Sure.”  
  
The men jogged toward the noise, quickening their pace as it got louder. They found the alley quickly enough, but weren’t expecting the scene in front of them.  
  
“Shizuo!” Tom yelled at the blonde bar tender, interrupting him as he cut into the man on the ground.  
  
Without turning around, the blonde and the brunette, a man wearing a coat not unlike Izaya’s, bolted from the alley. The debt collector and the debtor ran toward the injured men, cursing once they saw their condition.  
  
“I’ll pay the rest of your debt if you keep what you saw here to yourself.” Tom said to the debtor, still having the state of mind to protect his kohai.  
  
“D-deal.” The man replied, his fear of Shizuo only increasing. “I’ll call an ambul-”  
  
“No! No, that’s…” He looked toward the van, still idling where it was parked. “Turn the van off and bring me the keys. I know who can help with this.”  
  
The debtor did as was asked, returning quickly. As neither he nor Tom knew how to drive a stick, they opted to carry the men to Shinra’s apartment instead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was still early when Kasuka abandoned the lumpy bed he’d spent the night in and ventured out of the bedroom. He stood quietly for a few moments and watched as Ruri washed the dishes they’d used the night before whilst quietly humming to herself.  
  
“Good morning.”  
  
The girl jumped a little, “Good morning. Did I wake you?”  
  
“No.” He walked his way over to the small kitchen, a hand smoothing his untidy hair as he did. “Would you like some help?”  
  
“You can dry the dishes if you’d like, but I’m not sure where the cloth is.”  
  
The brunette searched through the drawers, finding the somewhat abused cloth. Though it smelled clean, it was quite old and worn, with small stains all over it. “I should buy brother some replacements.”  
  
“You’ll just make him feel guilty if you do.” Ruri replied as she rinsed a plate.  
  
Kasuka studied the cloth a little more, not paying attention to the woman’s advice. “I should order some.”  
  
“We can pick some up a little later today if you insist.” Ruri sighed, “Do you think he would mind if I tidied the place a little?”  
  
“No.” Kasuka began drying the dishes, paying far more attention than a person usually would to them.  
  
The pair worked in silence, the occasional sounds of ceramic clinking against the metal sink filling the air. After they were done and the water had been drained, Ruri rinsed her dish cloth and began wiping all the surfaces she could find. Kasuka watched her in silence. For a woman who grew up privileged, it amused him to learn how much she enjoyed cleaning.  
  
“What is it?” She questioned, having noticed his gaze.  
  
“Nothing.” He replied.  
  
She nodded a little as she continued to dust, “I was thinking about the situation this morning while you were asleep.”  
  
Kasuka looked at her without saying anything, urging her to continue.  
  
“Your brother would become suspicious if you called him today, wouldn’t he?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Why don’t you phone Orihara-san?”  
  
The idol tilted his head slightly in question. It honestly hadn’t occurred to him to try phoning his brother’s boyfriend. “I don’t think he would answer.”  
  
Ruri rinsed her cloth under warm water, wringing it out tightly and placing it on the sink. “If he went back to the hotel, Shizuo-san might have told him you spoke yesterday.”  
  
“Why would that make a difference?” he asked, “As far as Orihara-san knows, I’m filming on location.”  
  
“If your brother mentioned we would be staying here, he’d put the pieces together.”  
  
Kasuka thought about it for a moment. It would be a good way to figure out what was happening. He walked over to the wall socket where his phone was charging and skimmed through his contacts, pressing the call button once he found Izaya’s cell number. He was sent to his voicemail immediately and hung up, choosing not to leave a message.  
  
“His phone is turned off.”  
  
“Do you still have the number your brother phoned you from yesterday?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“May I borrow your phone?”  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Izaya was in the middle of a fantastically domestic dream. He had just arrived at Shizuo’s flat to find the blonde in a frilly pink apron, offering him bite sized pieces of Otoro and asking him to explain Socratic Questioning. Alas, just as he had begun to enrage the best by asking him an unending series of questions (“Why do you want to know?”, “How do you plan to find out?”, “What do you think it is, Shizu-chan?”), he was dragged out of his dream and into reality by the ringing of the hotel phone beside him.  
  
Cursing whoever dared to wake him, he stretched out an arm and grasped the headset, bringing it to his ear.  
  
“Hello?” He wheezed due to the combination of sleepiness and the heavy blonde crushing his lungs. He tried to wriggle himself out of Shizuo’s clutches but ultimately gave up. Even in his sleep, it was almost impossible to escape the blonde if he was feeling clingy.  
  
“ _Good morning, am I speaking with Orihara-san?_ ” a female voice asked politely. Izaya’s eyes snapped open and he tried to place the voice.  
  
“I’m afraid you must have the wrong room.”  
  
“ _I see._ ” There was a moment of muffled chatter on the other end of the phone before the woman spoke again, “ _I’m terribly sorry for waking you, I was under the impression that my partners brother and his boyfriend were staying in your room…_ ”  


At that clue, Izaya finally recognised the voice. His eyes darted toward the blonde, “Yes, we will be ordering room service today, but it’s too early for that right now.”  
  
“ _If now is a bad time we can call a little later._ ”  
  
“No, I don’t recall signing that.” He replied, once again attempting to wriggle free, “I’ll come see you immediately.”  
  
“ _We will wait for your call._ ” Came the reply, which was soon replaced by a dial tone.  
  
Izaya placed the phone into the cradle and sighed heavily, “Really, Shizu-chan. Why must you do this each morning?”  
  
“I don’t…” a muffled voice replied as arms tightened, “Idiot.”  
  
The brunette congratulated himself mentally for assuming the blonde was awake. “When did you wake up?”  
  
“While ago…” Shizuo said, burrowing his head further into Izaya’s neck. His body was almost entirely on top of the brunettes in an effort to prevent him from escaping. “Who was that?”  
  
“Reception. I need to go sign something, apparently.”  
  
Shizuo tightened his grip again causing Izaya to gasp involuntarily, “Go later.”  
  
“If I do that, they’ll phone again.”  
  
“Don’t care.”  
  
“What a surprise.” Izaya tried to push the man away with his arms, “I’ll come back.”  
  
“Bet I can make you change your mind.”  
  
“Lying on top of me is false imprisonment and doing nothing but making me want to leave more.” The informant snapped, becoming annoyed with his lack of movement.  
  
Shizuo chuckled and lifted his head slightly, running his tongue along his captive’s throat, enjoying the shiver it elicited.  
  
“Shizu-chan!” Izaya pouted, “Not this morning, I’m too tired~!”  
  
“Liar.” The blonde laughed, shifting his body so that it was only millimetres above the informants as he continued to lick and plant wet kisses along his neck.  
  
“I keep telling you! An erection in the morning doesn’t mean anything!” Izaya almost shouted, though he didn’t sound very convincing. “It’s an unavoidable biological resp-ahh.”  
  
“Whatever.”  
  
Shizuo’s mouth slowly made its way up the side of Izaya’s jaw and to his mouth. He stopped just short of Izaya’s lips, choosing to look into his eyes instead. He smirked at the look of indignation and lust he found and used his tongue to lick along the tight seam of his lips.  
  
Izaya felt his eyes flicker shut and he leaned into the kiss, opening his mouth eagerly and pushing his hips up against the blonde’s. Both the men groaned at the contact and the kiss became heated and sloppy.  
  
_Ring-Ring.  
  
_ Izaya pulled away first, causing Shizuo to attack his neck once more. “Shizu-chan, I’ve got to get up.”  
  
“Later.” He mumbled, not moving his lips away from the skin he was so hungrily trying to devour.  
  
_Ring-Ring._  
  
“What if they send someone?”  
  
“I’ll kick their arse.”  
  
“I don’t want to get kicked out of here simply because you’re a beast who can’t have his mating ritual interrupted.”  
  
_Ring-Ring.  
  
_ Shizuo huffed but halted his actions, staring up at the informant instead. “You’ll come right back?”  
  
“Yes, I’m quite fond of my suitcase and wouldn’t dream of leaving it behind.”  
  
_Ring-Ring._

 

“Tch.” He rolled off the brunette and to the colder side of the bed. “I’ll beat the shit out of you if you don’t.”  
  
Izaya snickered at the threat as he picked up the phone. “Hello?”  
  
“ _Is everything alright?_ ” The female voice asked cautiously.  
  
“Yes, I’ll be there shortly.” He retorted, making no effort to hide his annoyance. Hanging up, he looked back at the bed. “Don’t pout, Shizu-chan.”  
  
“Am not.” Shizuo replied, covering his face with an arm, “Just shut up and die already.”  
  
“Where would the fun be in that?” Izaya located his pants and a tee shirt, pulling them on hastily. “I won’t take the key, so please let me in when you hear me knock.”  
  
Shizuo grumbled something non-committal and Izaya made his way out of the room, picking up his phone as he left.  
  
Closing the door behind him, he walked quickly toward the staircase and ascended two levels before turning his phone on. He was flooded with notifications, calls and messages and forced to wait a few seconds before he could use his phone for anything.

 

Ignoring the impulse to check his messages, Izaya quickly skimmed through his recent calls, finding that Kasuka had indeed attempted to call him earlier. He pressed the call button and brought the phone to his ear, wondering if the statue of a man who’d answer would notice if he banged his head repeatedly against the wall whilst conversing.  
  
It wasn’t that Izaya and Kasuka didn’t get along, it was that Kasuka and Shizuo were too alike. Both of them, for whatever reason, were a mystery to the informant. Unreadable, unpredictable, and unsociable. Though the younger Heiwajima was significantly more human than the elder, there was something almost ethereal about him that Izaya found ~~unnerving~~ irritating.  
  
“ _Orihara-san?_ ”  
  
“Good morning, Yuuhei-kun,” Izaya purred, knowing full well that the idol preferred it when his real name was used by the informant, “What a pleasant surprise it was to receive your call.”  
  
“ _Please use my given name, Orihara-san._ ” Came the emotionless reply. How Shizuo could read anything into the bored responses was a mystery to Izaya.  
  
“I apologise, Kasuka-kun.” Izaya smirked, “May I ask why you are wishing to speak with me instead of your brother this morning?”  
  
“ _You already know the answer, do you not?_ ”  
  
“Perhaps… Is it to check on the welfare of my suitcase that you so gallantly protected?”  
  
“ _Orihara-san._ ”  
  
“Mm?”  
  
“ _I will get to the point,_ ” Kasuka said. “ _I am sure you are aware of the situation in Ikebukuro._ ”  
  
“Which situation would that be?”  
  
The younger Heiwajima ignored the question and continued, “ _What you may not be aware of is the presence of a list._ ”  
  
Izaya was in fact aware of said list, having discovered its existence the day before. “I am aware of the majority of things in Ikebukuro, Kasuka-kun.”

  
“ _Were you aware of the home invasion in my apartment yesterday?_ ”  
  
“I had thought something similar to that must have occurred during the filming of your _action sequence_ , but I wasn’t certain of the specifics.” Izaya frowned, telling himself it was due to him not knowing something first, “Is there a reason you haven’t told Shizu-chan?”  
  
“…”  
  
‘ _Ah, that’s right._ ’ “I was honoured to learn that I had earned your trust, Kasuka-kun.”  
  
“ _I do not believe you’d harm my brother and I trust his judgement, but I do not trust you personally._ ”  
  
“My heart is breaking.” The feigned honesty made the words a little more biting, “With our history, you should be more worried about your brother’s safety when we’re alone together.”  
  
“ _You’re lying more to yourself than you are to me, Orihara-san._ ” Kasuka replied, a little too quickly. “ _Were you and brother in the hotel fire yesterday?_ ”  
  
“Shizu-chan wasn’t there, no.” Izaya spoke in a tone that rivalled Kasuka’s, “I believe he was busy chain-smoking.”  
  
“ _Izaya-san,_ ” The informant was startled by the usage of his first name, “ _Are you taking care of what’s happening in Ikebukuro?_ ”  
  
Izaya considered his options. On one hand, it would be fun to tease the idol and he could possibly use this conversation to spread misinformation. On the other, Kasuka was Shizuo’s brother, and his behaviour could be unpredictable. Honesty, or honesty without an explanation, would have to suffice. “Yes.”  
  
“ _It’s as I thought._ ” The idol paused in thought, “ _I have not discussed this with my brother and will continue to ensure he isn’t contacted from anyone here._ ”  
  
“How generous of you.”  
  
“ _However, I would like to know when this will be over._ ”  
  
“If I told you that it would ruin the fun~!”  
  
“ _In that case…_ ” Kasuka hesitated momentarily, “ _Orihara-san, can you guarantee that my brother will remain safe, despite his ignorance of the situation?_ ”  
  
“…Yes.” Came the reluctant reply through gritted teeth. It wasn’t that Izaya was opposed to keeping his beast safe, in fact, it was quite the opposite. The entire situation could have been avoided if only-

 

“ _You should return to brother, Orihara-san as he will become suspicious. Please don’t let him know we spoke._ ”  
  
“I think I would be the one to suffer should he find out.” Izaya laughed, “Goodbye, Kasuka-kun.”  
  
He hung up before he heard the reply and turned his phone off. Resting his head against the wall of the stairwell, he screwed his eyes closed tightly, watching as colourful stars danced in the blackness behind his lids.  
  
He didn’t want this today. He’d worked faster than usual yesterday so that he could spend the entire day with his monster, relishing in his company. He wasn’t sure how many times he’d be able to do it in the future and simply wanted to savour the feeling.  
  
Pushing himself off the wall with a sigh, he descended the staircase quickly and journeyed back to his room. He reached the door quickly and knocked lightly on the wood only to find the door unlocked, a folded piece of paper wedged between the frame and the lock.  
  
“Shizu-chan?” He called out as he entered the room. Both the room and the bathroom were devoid of life.  
  
‘ _Strange…_ ’  
  
He searched the surfaces quickly for a note but found nothing and collapsed on the bed with a sigh. It was unlike the protozoan to wander off alone, especially without leaving any clue as to where he went.  Izaya ran a hand through his hair, noticing the folded paper still in his palm. He unwrapped it curiously, wondering if Shizuo had left a note after all.  


  
_Flea,  
  
You’re a shitty flea and I hate you. Reception desk my arse, fuckin’ bastard.  
  
\- Heiwajima Shizuo.  
  
PS, I’m going out. Do me a favour and die before I get back.  
  
_

_  
_ He stared at the note in disbelief, reading and rereading the words. After a minute, the corners of his lips began to rise and he let out an enormous laugh.  
  
_‘You even signed your full name! Priceless!’  
  
_ He laughed until his sides hurt and he began to wheeze. Really, his beast could be too much sometimes. Even though he knew where Shizuo would be, he decided to wait an hour or so before running off to bring him back to their room. The beast needed time to cool off, and he needed some more beauty sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for reading! I'm sorry this chapter is a bit late, I suffered a bit of writers block (which was cured quickly enough, yay!).
> 
> Please point out any typos you spot, and thanks again for reading! :D


	27. Trap.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the past, Izaya is disgusted.
> 
> In Miyazaki, Shizuo hangs out. In Ikebukuro, more people see Shizuo.

Togusa was the first to wake up, having only been knocked unconscious by a blow to the head. He’d been lucky to walk away with a simple concussion and superficial injuries, though he felt like hell.  
  
“Wha…”  
  
“Welcome back!” a bespectacled doctor chirped, entirely too happy, “How are you feeling?”  
  
“…how’s my van?”  
  
The doctor laughed at the response, “You mustn’t be feeling too terrible if that’s your main concern.”  


Togusa tried to sit up too quickly, causing a dizzy spell and forcing him back onto the couch. “What happened?”  
  
“Well, I was hoping you’d be able to tell us.”  
  
The man closed his eyes, ignoring the nausea and trying to think back. He’d been taking Kadota to work when they’d stopped… “Shizuo and Izaya were… in the alley…”  
  
“Do you remember anything else?”  
  
Togusa shook his head, regretting it instantly as a new wave of sickness threatened to overtake him.  
  
“Okay, lie back down and try to rest,” the doctor said, “Both you and Kadota-kun are fine, so you need to relax.”  
  
Without any complaints, the young man stilled his movements and kept his eyes closed, only vaguely aware of the hushed voices in the background.  


The doctor poked his head into the makeshift clinic to check on his other patient, frowning slightly to find that he was still asleep. He left the door ajar as he made his way over to the kitchen where his other house guests had gathered.  
  
“How are they?” Tom asked, a slight feeling of guilt overtaking him. Logically, he knew that there was no possible way that Shizuo would even consider torturing someone but a part of him still felt somehow responsible.  
  
“They’ll live, though they’ll be a bit sore for a while.” Shinra replied, making himself a coffee. It had been a long five days and the drama seemed to be endless. “Did you notice anything else about the doppelgangers?”  
  
Tom shook his head, “No. I’ve tried calling Shizuo as well, but his phone is turned off.”  
  
“I see.” Shinra said cautiously, unsure of how to word his next sentence. “I’ll see what I can do.”  
  
The teenagers, who had been quietly listening into the conversation, gave the doctor a questioning look.  
  
“Kishitani-san, can you get in touch with Izaya-san and Shizuo-san?” Mikado asked.

 

“I didn’t say that.” Shinra replied, slipping a hand into his pocket and pulling out a needle. “How’s your pain feeling, Mikado-kun?”  
  
“F-fine…” Mikado replied nervously, catching on quickly to what the doctor was implying. He’d ask no further questions.  
  
“I’m glad to hear it!” Shinra returned the needle to his pocket and picked up his coffee mug. “Well, I have something to take care of. Please make yourselves at home.”  
  
Without waiting for a response, the doctor turned his back on the trio and walked swiftly to his bedroom. He located his phone, hesitating for a few moments. Though he had no real desire to contact the younger Heiwajima after their previous _discussion_ , he had no other way of making contact with the two violent lovebirds.  
  
With a sigh, he decided he’d have to go through with it (lest Celty find out and be disappointed with him) and dialled the number he needed.  
  
“ _Hello?_ ”  
  
“Good morning, Kasuka-kun.” Shinra said in what he hoped was a pleasant voice, “Do you have a few moments?”  
  
“ _Has something happened?_ ”  
  
Shinra sat himself on the end of the bed and placed his elbows on his knees, hunching his back slightly. “You could say that.”  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shizuo was _pissed_. He inhaled what must have been his sixth cigarette and stared at the ocean in an attempt to steal some of its peace and calm, ignoring the pressure in his arm.  
  
That fucking flea. That fucking stupid, bastard, lying, bloodsucking flea had lied to him _again_. What was worse was that Shizuo knew that his flea was a liar and was therefore angrier at himself for ever even attempting to do this whole trust thing.  
  
“Bastard, lyin’ to me like I’m an idiot.” He cursed quietly under his breath.  
  
He probably would never have realised it if the informant hadn’t accidentally tipped him off by saying he wouldn’t be taking a key. Shizuo wasn’t a fool, he knew that was an attempt to get him to stay put. Izaya assumed that he’d patiently wait if he’d needed to be let back in, and as a result the blonde had thrown on a pair of pants and a shirt as soon as the door had closed and followed him.

 

At first, he’d sprinted down the stairs and glared angrily at the woman at the reception desk from behind a partially closed door, before sprinting back _up_ the steps where he overheard part of a conversation.  
  
_“How generous of you.”  
  
“If I told you that it would ruin the fun~!”  
  
_ Shizuo had fumed and it had taken every ounce of self-control he had (and even some he didn’t) to make his way back to the room. At first, he’d thought about hiding behind the doorway and murdering his flea. That idea was quickly dismissed, however, when he realised that the poor cleaners employed by the hotel wouldn’t be able to get blood out of the carpet.  
  
So, he’d decided to leave in order to give Izaya a taste of his own medicine. He quickly scribbled a note and shoved it between the doors lock and the frame, grabbed his cigarettes and wallet, then heard the soft knocking on the door. Having no other option, he jumped off the balcony.  
  
Having had no intention to sustain an injury in his attempt at escape, he’d clung to the railing and stayed out of sight. Unfortunately, he’d warped the metal of the bars slightly when he heard Izaya start to laugh.  
  
He stubbed his cigarette out enthusiastically and placed his now free hand back onto the railing. He’d been hanging for around an hour already but hadn’t even broken a sweat. He risked another pull-up and peered over the edge of the balcony and in through the window. Izaya hadn’t moved from his position on the bed and the blonde thought that he might have gone back to sleep.  
  
Then again, he’d thought he was asleep twenty minutes ago as well and had tried to scale his way back onto the balcony, only to be rudely interrupted when Izaya made a noise and rolled onto his side.  
  
Deciding to risk it, he quietly pulled himself up and over the railing, the unpleasant pressure in his shoulders fading now his weight was back on his feet. He looked through the open door at the parasite in the bed. It really wasn’t fair that such a despicable person could look so innocent and beautiful, and the sight almost forced Shizuo to forgive the brunette.  
  
“Has Shizu-chan stopped sulking?”  
  
Almost.  
  
“Tch, I wouldn’t sulk over you.” Shizuo replied angrily, walking into the room.  
  
“My mistake,” Izaya teased, rolling onto his back so he could better see the angry blonde at the foot of the bed, “Only humans sulk. What is the protozoan equivalent?”  
  
Shizuo’s hands formed fists and he stared at the informant with unblinking eyes. “What are you up to?”  
  
“I’m merely lying in bed.”  
  
“Don’t mess around, Izaya- _kun_ ,” Shizuo snapped, his self-control slipping away, “I heard you on the phone.”  


Izaya paled but managed to keep his mask in place. “What did you hear?”  
  
“Who’re you having fun with?”  
  
“What?” Izaya desperately tried to recall the conversation he’d had earlier but drew a blank. “What are you talking about?”  
  
“You said…” Shizuo growled, slowly moving toward Izaya, “That something would ‘ruin the fun’. What are you doing this time?”  
  
Izaya realised that Shizuo, despite having heard his conversation, had no idea who he’d been speaking with. His relief was short lived, however, as the impatient blonde had grabbed him by the throat.  
  
“Tell me.” He spat, his face only inches away from the brunettes whilst a strong hand restricted part of the air supply.  
  
Izaya fought to find an excuse, anything to appease his beast. He didn’t want to tell him the truth, but he didn’t want him to ~~feel betrayed~~ get in the way of his plans either. Unfortunately, the excuse didn’t come in time and the pair were interrupted by the phone.  
  
_Ring-ring._

 

Both men stared at the noisy object beside them, unsure of what to do. It was Izaya who moved first, reaching a hand toward the receiver only to have it slapped away. Without removing his hand from the informant’s throat, Shizuo grabbed the receiver and brought it to his ear.  
  
“What?” He barked down the phone, hoping it was whoever dared to call his flea earlier so he could give them a piece of his mind.  
  
“ _Hello, brother. Am I interrupting something?_ ”  
  
Shizuo’s hand instantly relaxed and Izaya dropped to the bed, a confused look on his face. “Uh, hi Kasuka… sorry, uh…”  
  
“ _It’s fine, are you alright?_ ”  
  
“Yeah, just…” Shizuo scratched his head. His anger had dissipated almost immediately and he was left with the heavy feeling of guilt settling in his stomach. Even if Izaya was a blood-sucking flea, he’d never wanted to harm him.  
  
“ _That’s good._ ” Kasuka replied, hesitating a moment before he continued. “ _Brother, I need to speak with Orihara-san._ ”  
  
“W-what?” Shizuo almost choked out, not quite believing what he’d heard, “Why?”  
  
“ _That’s between Orihara-san and I._ ”  
  
Shizuo looked at the brunette from the corner of his eye, “Were you the one he talked to this morning?” He asked, only barely managing to hide the guilt in his voice.  
  
“ _…yes._ ”  
  
“I’ll… put him on…” Shizuo’s hand dropped limply to his side, the receiver dangling between his fingertips. “It’s for you…”  
  
Izaya reached out a hand slowly and took the receiver, bringing it to his ear as he watched his beast slink off to hide in the bathroom. “Yes?”  
  
“ _Orihara-san, I apologise for contacting you again so soon,_ ”

 

“Can this wait? I’m in the middl-”  
  
“ _No, it can’t._ ” came the quick reply, “ _The situation has changed. I believe you need to inform brother immediately._ ”  
  
“Why?” Izaya said, his heart beginning to beat more quickly than it had any right to.  
  
“ _I just received a call from Shinra-san. Two of your acquaintances, Kadota-san and Togusa-san, were attacked this morning._ ” Kasuka said quickly, before adding, “ _They will be fine, no permanent damage was done._ ”  
  
Izaya calmed himself, almost laughing in relief. Though it was unfortunate that someone had been hurt, it wasn’t the end of the world. “And why would that change the situation?”  
  
“ _…_ ” the younger Heiwajima seemed to be having problems explaining himself.  
  
“Kasuka-kun?” Izaya tried, the uneasiness that had previously left him returning in waves.  
  
“ _Orihara-san, the attackers looked like you and my brother._ ”  
  
  
‘ _Fuck._ ’  
  
“I see. Well, as you can tell it couldn’t have been us.” Izaya said, attempting to appear nonchalant. “There’s no reason to panic.”  
  
“ _Brother has a reputation and a police record,_ ” Kasuka continued, “ _If this continues, he could be in trouble._ ”  
  
“I don’t see how, we both have an alibi.”  
  
“ _You know as well as I do that the police would be the last of your concerns._ ”  
  
Kasuka was right. If the doppelgangers attacked the wrong person the yakuza might come after them for revenge. Even though Izaya had connections with the Awakusu-kai, there were many other groups that wouldn’t think twice about using these incidents as an excuse.  
  
Izaya sighed, pressing a finger into his now throbbing temple. “I’ll see what I can do.”  
  
“ _Thank you. May I speak to my brother before you hang up?_ ”  
  
“Are you planning on telling him?”  
  
“ _I will leave that to you, though I would appreciate your thoughts on the matter a little later._ ”  
  
“I’ll get him for you.” Izaya placed the receiver on the bedside and walked toward the bathroom. He tapped on the door twice, “Shizu-chan, Kasuka would like to speak with you.”  
  
He heard muffled footsteps and the door opened slowly, the blonde edging his way through the narrow gap as he made his way to the phone. Izaya retreated into the bathroom to wash his face and give them the illusion of privacy, though he could hear everything Shizuo said.  
  
“Hello?”  
  
“Yeah… but…”  
  
“Yeah…”  
  
“Stay safe, okay?”  
  
“Bye.”  
  
Izaya waited a few moments before returning to the bedroom, collapsing on the bed beside his downtrodden beast. They sat in silence, neither wanting to apologise or say a word.  
  
After a few minutes, Izaya snaked a hand tentatively around the waist of the blonde, pausing momentarily when he felt him jump. He pulled himself closer, sitting up slightly and resting his face in the area between Shizuo’s shoulder blades as a calloused hand softly rested itself on his arm.  
  
It was obvious to the two of them that they’d never have a conventional, or even healthy, relationship, but it didn’t matter to either of them. The only thing that mattered was that they both felt safe and warm whenever the other was around.  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_Ten months earlier, Ikebukuro_ **

 

 

 

 

 

 

“What the fuck?” Shizuo dropped the soggy parcel, its contents spilling onto the floor after the impact. “Izaya!”  
  
Izaya walked out of the bathroom with a toothbrush in his mouth, a pair of raised eyebrows doing the talking for him.  
  
“What’s this shit? Why would you order something so creepy and why would you have it delivered here?”  
  
Izaya continued brushing his teeth but walked over to the blonde, curious as to what he was going on about. He’d almost reached Shizuo when his bare foot stepped on something… wet?  
  
He glanced down at the floor to find a huge fish eye squished between his toes, whilst many others in all shapes and sizes littered the floor.  
  
It took a moment for his brain to register what he was seeing and once it had he flipped out. A small noise escaped his lips causing his toothbrush to fall and he jumped backward, slipping on the floor and landing in a pile. He scurried backward in an effort to get away, not caring how ridiculous he looked doing so in Shizuo’s borrowed dress shirt.  
  
Shizuo watched him curiously, feeling torn between laughing and being concerned, the look on his face was a mixture of the two which did nothing to calm Izaya’s nerves.  
  
“Shizu-chan! What are yo- You! You did this!” He spluttered, unsure of what to make of the situation. His brain had stopped working briefly and the look on Shizuo’s face was incriminating.  
  
“What?” Shizuo asked, confused by the accusation, “What are you talking about?”  
  
Izaya took a deep breath and steadied himself. “Nothing.”  
  
Shizuo didn’t look convinced but chose not to investigate further, he’d never seen his flea so…  
  
“Izaya, are you afraid of fish eyes?”  
  
“Don’t be stupid, I’m not _afraid_ of them.” Izaya spat as he rose to his feet, “They’re just disgusting.”  
  
“Right…”  
  
“Shut up.”  
  
Shizuo stifled a chuckle, “So why are they here then?”  
  
The informant shrugged, “How should I know? I was brushing my teeth.”  
  
“Oh, right.” Shizuo scratched his head, “Someone knocked on the door and when I opened it there was a package there.”  
  
“That one?” Izaya pointed at the soggy parcel on the floor. “Does it have a note in it or anything? Who is it addressed to?”  
  
“Why don’t you look for yourself? Shouldn’t be a problem since you aren’t afraid.”  
  
Izaya glared daggers at the blonde, “Just pick it up and tell me.”  
  
Shizuo chuckled as he retrieved the fallen package, “It’s addressed to both of us.”  
  
“Anything inside?”  
  
The blonde ripped the parcel open a fraction more, causing more of its contents to spill onto the floor. Izaya swallowed heavily and fought to stop himself from gagging. “Nah, just more fish eyes.”  
  
Izaya sighed, disappointed, “I’m going to have a shower. You can clean this up.”  


Shizuo watched as the brunette spun on his heel and began his retreat. “Oi, wait a sec.”  
  
“What?” Izaya replied, eager to leave the room.  
  
“You’ve got-” Shizuo brushed his hand down the informant’s backside, receiving a slap in return.  
  
“I know you’re a monster but _some of us_ aren’t turned on by such disgusting things!” Izaya exclaimed.  
  
Shizuo just chuckled at the response, “You had an eye smooshed into your butt.”  
  
Izaya’s eyes widened comically and he ripped off the shirt he was wearing before fleeing to the bathroom, leaving an amused debt collector behind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Celty had spent her morning driving around Ikebukuro, keeping a watchful eye on the city and stopping occasionally to break up any fights she came across. She knew that it wasn’t her job and that she shouldn’t get involved in such things, but she happened to be a very human supernatural creature and simply didn’t have it in her to turn a blind eye.  
  
She’d left the house earlier in search of clues that might help them work out what was going on. She’d told Shinra that she wasn’t looking for Sato personally, therefore it shouldn’t be a problem, right? The strange hacker who had taken over their laptop had warned them not to _look_ for Sato, but if she happened to come across him by accident…  
  
Even she knew how flimsy her logic was, but she wasn’t about to trust the words of someone who had essentially broken into her home and hadn’t even had the courtesy to show their face. Despite Shinra assuring her that it wasn’t Izaya, she couldn’t help but be suspicious.  
  
And where was Izaya anyway? Shouldn’t he be here, bathing in the chaos and annoying his far-too-good-for-him boyfriend? There was definitely something bizarre about this situation, and it made the dullahan nervous.  
  
She pulled up at a stoplight and mimicked a heavy sigh. She wasn’t getting anywhere today, and she felt that her constant presence in the city was only making things worse. Shooter whinnied at her comfortingly and she gave his handles a loving squeeze. Even if Shooter were the spirit of a dead horse, he was just as worried about the situation as Celty was.  
  
She glanced at the red light in front of her though she was in no hurry for it to change. Out the corner of her helmet, she saw a flash of…  
  
‘ _SHIZUO!_ ’  
  
Shooter revved his engine, asking for permission to ignore the light and follow the familiar blonde. Celty glanced around, searching for a certain motorcycle policeman. She tried to obey the rules of the road whenever she could, but when the streets were empty like this…  
  
Thankfully, the light turned green and Shooter took off in the direction of the blonde, turning sharply down an alleyway before speeding around the block several times. Shizuo had apparently disappeared into thin air, as Celty’s shadows couldn’t even find him.  
  
Disappointed that she missed her friend, she directed Shooter back to the apartment. Hopefully, Shinra would be able to tell her what was going on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**I saw Shizuo this morning! We’re saved!**

**Shizuo? You’re lying!**

**Am not! I totally saw him near Tokyu Hands!**

**Liar! Everyone knows Shizuo is in jail!**

**Wait, what did you see?**

**A blonde guy in a bartender’s uniform!**

**Are you sure it was him?**

**Who else would that be?**

**He’s come back to save Ikebukuro from the zombies!**

**Seems weird…**

**What does?**

**Have you seen anything flying through the air lately?**

**No…**

**Don’t you think if he was back, everyone would know?**

**Maybe he’s undercover?**

**Or working undercover?**

**If he was undercover he’d wear different clothes!**

**Nah, I think you’re lying. No way he’s back**

**Look, I took a picture! [ _CLICK HERE TO OPEN IMAGE_ ]**

**That’s so blurry, doesn’t prove anything!**

**Yeah, nice try though.**

**I REALLY SAW HIM!**

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first thing Kadota did when he woke up was demand to know Togusa’s condition. The second thing he did was demand that no one told Erika and Walker that the two of them had been injured, causing the doctor to laugh. The chuckles soon stopped, however, after Kadota mentioned a few past incidents that had been the work of the otaku duo. In the interests of public safety, Kadota would be the one to talk to them.  
  
“So what happened?” Shinra asked, sitting in the chair beside the bed. “Togusa-kun said that it looked like Shizuo-kun and Izaya-kun were there.”  
  
“Yeah, wasn’t them though.” Kadota ran a hand through his hair, wincing as he did. “It looks like them from behind, but... They were wearing surgical masks, you know, the ones you wear when you’re sick.”  
  
“Well, neither Shizuo nor Izaya would ever wear those.” Shinra chuckled.  
  
“Yeah, but…” Kadota closed his eyes tightly as he tried to describe what he’d seen, “They weren’t white ones. The looked like faces.”  
  
“Faces?”  
  
“It looked like a mouth and nose.”  
  
“That’s strange, though I suppose it makes sense. You’d be less likely to notice it was a mask at a distance.”  
  
“Yeah.” Kadota opened his eyes, “This isn’t good. People are going to start thinking it’s really them.”  
  
“Yes, it could become a problem.” Shinra leaned toward his high school classmate and lowered his voice, “I’ve managed to get a message to Izaya-kun, so those two might come back to fix whatever this is.”  
  
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Shinra.”  
  
“Why not?”  
  
Kadota sighed heavily and pushed himself up higher on the bed. “Doesn’t this all seem strange to you?”  
  
“Everything in Ikebukuro is strange.” Shinra retorted, “I don’t see how this is any different.”  
  
“It’s… Think about it like this. When was the last time Izaya and Shizuo willingly left the city?”  
  
Shinra thought for a moment, “Back in high school?”  
  
“And now they’ve both gone on a holiday together. I can understand Shizuo needing one, but Izaya isn’t the sort of person to leave the city for anything.”  
  
“I suppose you’re right…”  
  
“Plus, everything happening looks like something he’d do, right?” Kadota continued, “And now we just happen to have two people dressed like them running around cutting people while gangs are chasing down people those two know.”  
  
“What’s your point?”  
  
“Doesn’t it look like a trap to you? It’s like… someone is trying to bring them back.”  
  
_Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap!  
  
_ Shinra stood and opened the door, finding a flustered Celty on the other side.

 

“Welcome home, Celty!”  
  
[ Shinra! I saw him! ]  
  
“Saw who?”  
  
[ Shizuo! I saw Shizuo! ]  
  
“Ah, about that.” Shinra gestured for the dullahan to enter the room, closing the door behind her as she entered. “Kadota-kun and I were just discussing that.”  
  
Celty looked at the bed, fingers frantically typing after seeing who was there.

 

[ I’m so sorry! I didn’t realise! ]  
  
[ Are you okay? ]

 

[ We can talk later… ]  
  
“It’s okay, I’m fine.” Kadota replied, amused by the panicky fairy “I’ve had worse.”  
  
[ Are you sure? ]  
  
“He’s fine, Celty.” Shinra said, claiming a seat on the end of the bed and leaving the chair free for Celty, “If you’re this concerned about another man, I’ll get jeal- ow! I’m sorry!”  
  
[ So what happened? Does it have something to do with Shizuo coming back? ]  
  
Shinra and Kadota exchanged a look, and Shinra began to explain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Izaya had hoped that he would be able to have the day to himself, but due to some new information those hopes were dashed. What irritated him wasn’t only the fact that he now needed to do some digging (something he’d told his blonde boyfriend he wouldn’t be doing during their trip), but the fact that he hadn’t known about this in advance.  
  
Tsukumoya was the only informant whose skills outdid Izaya’s, and it was hard to believe that he hadn’t known about it either. That could only mean one of two things: Either the plan to have doppelgangers roam Ikebukuro was thought of that morning, or the perpetrators were better than both Izaya and Tsukumoya.  
  
Izaya wanted to believe the first option, as the second was far too unnerving to even think about. If there existed a person who could hide from Izaya…

 

He groaned in frustration as he unzipped his suitcase. He’d sent Shizuo off to shower, saying that Kasuka had asked him to take care of something for him. The excuse seemed to work, and the blonde had obediently wandered into the bathroom.  
  
Izaya carefully removed his clothing, hiding the still unsent postcards at the bottom of the pile before running a blade along the hidden seam of the bottom of his suitcase. He sliced through the near-invisible seam easily, rolling back the silky fabric to reveal a thin piece of wood. He forced his knife between the gap where the wood met the suitcase and rocked it back and forth, prying it open.  
  
Once the wooden panel was removed, his laptop and several phones were revealed, all carefully wrapped up tightly in bubble wrap. He plucked the laptop, charger, and two phones from the hiding spot before carefully replacing the wood and filling his suitcase once again. He knew Shizuo would be angry to see the devices, but hoped he’d let it go since Izaya was presumably working for Kasuka.  
  
Izaya moved the devices over to the desk and set everything up carefully, powering up his laptop and switching on each of the phones. Taking a step back, he let a dark smile settle on his lips.  
  
It was one thing to attempt to destroy Orihara Izaya, it was something he was used to in his line of work. However, it was another thing altogether to drag Shizuo into it. Izaya was selfish and possessive, and had absolutely no issue in making an example of anyone who tried to use _his_ Shizuo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, shit's about to get real!
> 
> Thank you for reading :D I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.


	28. Hurt.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the past, Izaya investigates.
> 
> In Miyazaki, Izaya wants coffee. In Ikebukuro, there will be blood.

There were very few people who understood the Informant of Shinjuku. Rather, there only seemed to be one person who understood him.  
  
Anyone who knew either Izaya or Shizuo would question how the two could possibly remain together. Part of the questioning was due to their colourful and violent history, but for the most part, people just assumed that Izaya had no real feelings for the blonde.

 

Shizuo was an open book. He wore his heart on his sleeve, unashamed and unafraid of the consequences. If he wanted to date Orihara Izaya, why should he hide it? If he wanted to hold the man’s hand and kiss him sweetly when he thought no one else was watching, why shouldn’t he? Shizuo had never been a fan of lying and was never the sort to lie to himself.  
  
He wanted Izaya, he cared for Izaya, and he made sure that everyone knew that Izaya was _his._  
  
Izaya, on the other hand, was a mystery. His motives and true feelings were always locked away where no one else could see them. His thrived on the misery of others, taking great pleasure in teasing and manipulating them as though his victims were nothing more than puppets. He’d smile no matter what situation he was in, never letting anyone see behind his mask. He never let anyone in, never let anyone closer than he absolutely had to.  
  
However, there was one exception to that rule. The exception, a tall, blonde, beast of a man, had always managed to break down any resistance that Izaya put up against him. If he had a carefully thought out plan, Shizuo would ruin it somehow. Even when they first met, Shizuo had seen through Izaya as if he’d been made of nothing more than glass.

 

It was unnerving to be so exposed, but exhilarating nonetheless. The two men were drawn to each other like high-powered magnets, colliding violently whenever they were close to each other. The damage they caused would often take weeks to repair and involve innocent passers-by. It was almost incomprehensible to imagine that the two rivals would one day become lovers.  
  
It was even more amazing that they had managed to stay together. Though Shizuo’s feelings were obvious to those who knew him personally, the same could not be said for the informant. Not even his family or those closest to him could see anything resembling mutual love, and they often felt a little pity for the oblivious blonde. It was thought that perhaps Izaya had simply decided to keep Shizuo around as a form of entertainment, or as some sort of pet.  
  
Of course, Shizuo knew better. He’d always been the only one to see straight through the brunette informant, and he knew his love wasn’t one-sided. He didn’t need to hear the words to know it, and in return never spoke them himself. Why say something that Izaya already knew if it would serve only to make the brunette uncomfortable? That would only make Shizuo feel good about it, and that somehow felt wrong.  
  
Izaya was thankful for this, though he never showed any obvious form of appreciation. He’d tell the blonde how much he cared in a variety of ways. He’d often wear Shizuo’s dress shirts to bed, simply because he knew how much the blonde enjoyed it. He’d listen whenever Shizuo spoke, drinking in every word and replying with something mocking but relevant, to show that he’d listened.

 

More recently, he’d allowed an entire city to collapse in on itself just so that he could keep Shizuo safe. Of course, the blonde was unaware of this and would have become enraged if he’d known the truth. That was precisely why Izaya had kept it from him.

 

The city they both loved had always turned its back on the two men. It was one of the reasons why Izaya had little difficulty in turning his back on the city. He’d done something he’d once thought impossible and chose his beast over his humans. He would reason with himself, saying that he’d enjoy the chaos and just wanted to see the expressions his toys made, but he knew that was a lie.

 

If that were true, he’d have never left Ikebukuro to go on this holiday. He wouldn’t have caved so easily to Simon’s ‘suggestion’, and they wouldn’t have travelled so far away. Shizuo was the only thing that Izaya had ever wanted to protect, and he’d now become the thing that Izaya loved most. He was no longer a burden, but a priority.

 

“What are you doing?” Shizuo asked as he towel-dried his hair. Izaya didn’t need to look up to know that he was probably wearing nothing more than a towel, which was likely riding just a little too low on those well-defined hips, and he struggled to keep his head clear.  
  
“I’m typing, Shizu-chan.” He replied, flicking through tabs in his browser as he typed anything interesting into a separate document.  
  
He heard a sigh, followed by the sounds of something softly hitting the floor. Biting a lip, he forced his fingers to move faster as a distraction.  
  
“Want anything? I’m going to head downstairs and get something to eat.”  
  
“Why don’t you order room service?” Izaya asked, not really wanting to spend any more time apart from the blonde. He was still unsure as to whether they’d have time alone like this in the future.

 

Shizuo cringed as he remembered the amount of food he ate the day before, “Nah, I want to stretch my legs.”  
  
“Then… coffee.” Izaya said, fingers beginning to slow despite his best efforts. He kept his eyes glued to the screen, taking in the steady stream of information. He heard soft fabric slide up muscular legs and wanted nothing more than to turn his head and admire the view.

 

He listened as Shizuo shuffled about the room, picking up whatever he’d need on his excursion. “I’ll be back later.” Shizuo said from somewhere behind him and Izaya merely nodded in response.  
  
The blonde sighed again, though it didn’t sound unhappy. A gentle hand touched the side of Izaya’s face and turned his head. Izaya’s eyes met Shizuo’s, and a soft kiss was placed on his lips. Izaya tried to frown in retaliation, but the act only made Shizuo snicker.  
  
“What’s so funny?” Izaya asked, annoyed by the treatment.  
  
“You always act like you hate it, but you get all pouty if I don’t kiss you when you ask.” Shizuo responded, feeling slightly less guilt over the altercation they had earlier. Izaya didn’t push him away or recoil in fear, so that must mean the damage wasn’t too bad.  
  
“And when exactly did I ask for a kiss?” Izaya asked, the entirety of his attention on Shizuo.  
  
“Just now.” Shizuo replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

 

“I asked for coffee, Shizu-chan. Or can’t you understand Japanese?”  
  
“Tch, don’t even try to hide it.” Shizuo replied, making his way toward the door, “I can speak louse, y’know.”

 

Izaya turned his attention back to the computer in front of him and resumed his typing. It had been true that he’d wanted to touch his monster, but he couldn’t understand how Shizuo could know that. He’d done nothing that would constitute a request, so it didn’t make sense. On the other hand, Shizuo didn’t make sense either.

 

“Stupid protozoan.” He grumbled, though the sides of his mouth rose just a fraction.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It had happened the night before at one of the clubs run by the Awakusu-kai, but no one had realised until the next morning. The club had been closed to the public, but the employees had been busy with minor renovations. None of them felt particularly unsafe, even with the high potential for violence outside. Who would be insane enough to attack members of the yakuza?  
  
It was a low-level grunt who discovered them when he’d come by to inspect the clubs progress. He’d been shocked to find that the backdoor was unlocked but walked in anyway, slightly annoyed that he’d missed out on his breakfast.  
  
“Oi, you guys still here?” He called out, not bothering to wait for an answer as he made his way through the kitchen. He could hear something strange coming from the front but couldn’t quite place it.  
  
Pushing open the door that separated the kitchen from the dance floor, he froze. His brain wouldn’t let him understand the scene that was laid out in front of him, only letting him know that there was red and brown on the floor and that there was a sickening smell.  
  
“W-what?”  
  
Brain catching up, the shapes on the ground slowly began to look human. Arms and legs and necks were bent the wrong way, pools of red were covering the ground.  
  
“Nng…”  
  
The grunt wet himself at the noise but was far too afraid to feel shame. His legs refused to move and he screamed at himself internally. He needed to check the bodies and see who had made it. He needed to call and report what he’d seen.  
  
Call!  


With trembling fingers, he pulled out his phone and hit the speed dial. The phone rang only once before an irate voice came down the line.  
  
“What?”  
  
“B-blue Orchid.” The grunt spluttered out the name of the club, eyes wide. “They’re all… they’re…”  
  
“Got it.”  
  
The grunt kept the phone to his ear even after he heard the dial tone. He was frozen, unable to process anything but feeling slightly better now that help was on the way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“A trap would make sense,” Shinra thought out loud as he adjusted his glasses. “There was something Tsukumoya said that seems to fit as well.”  
  
“Tsukumoya?” Kadota asked, not recognising the name.  
  
[ What did he say? ]  
  
“He said all the violence was a distraction.”  
  
“That would make sense.” Kadota said, understanding that he wasn’t going to find out who Tsukumoya was any time soon, “But who would be capable of doing that? Other than Izaya, I mean.”  
  
Celty and Shinra looked at each other, causing Kadota to once again feel out of the loop. “If you aren’t going to tell me who these people are, can you at least tell me what we should be doing?”  
  
[ Shizuo and Izaya probably shouldn’t come home until we figure everything out. ] Celty typed, fearing for the safety of her friend.  
  
“There’s a good chance that Izaya-kun already knows what’s going on and is staying out of it.” Shinra mused, “He probably hasn’t told Shizuo-kun.”  
  
[ Why wouldn’t he? ]  
  
Shinra smiled at the question, whereas Kadota wore a thousand-yard stare as memories floated through his head.

 

“Celty, if you and I were on holiday and this was happening, what would you do?”  
  
[ I’d come home and fix it! ] Celty typed quickly, and neither of the men doubted her for a second.  
  
“Alright, now what do you think Shizuo would do?”  
  
[ He’d come home as well! ]  
  
“And do you think he’d make things better or worse?”  
  
Celty hesitated, [ He’d try to make things better. ]  
  
“Of course he would,” Shinra spoke, a greater level of softness in his voice, “But think about it this way: Whoever is doing this is just like Izaya. Don’t you think Izaya would be the only one who can stop this?”  
  
Celty’s shoulders dropped slightly, [ He still deserves to know. ]  
  
“He might make things worse by accident,” Kadota chipped in, “He had enough trouble stopping Izaya in the past, if whoever is doing this is stronger…”  
  
The words hung in the air around them, thick and refusing to disappear. It was terrifying to think that there may be another Izaya in the world, but the thought that there might be someone more cunning was too much.  
  
“I’m sure they aren’t better than Izaya at being a jerk.” Shinra said, trying to break the tension, “Besides, if Izaya had already left the city before this happened, and he’s been in contact with Tsukumoya, then he’s probably one step ahead already.”  
  
Celty became a little calmer at that, though she felt uneasy about placing her faith in the madman her best friend was dating.  
  
“So the best thing to do is to do nothing?” Kadota asked, “We could try and calm some of the violence, if nothing else.”  
  
[ You need to rest. ] Celty scolded.  
  
“I’m not that hurt.”  
  
“No, but that taser sent more electricity through you than it should have.” Shinra said, slipping back into his role as a doctor, “Not to mention your blood loss. You should stay off your feet for the day.”  
  
“I’m fine.” Kadota protested, pushing himself until he was sitting and swallowing the wince, “Besides, someone’s got to keep Karisawa and Yumasaki under control.”

 

Shinra frowned but made no move to stop him. He’d known Kadota for long enough to understand that he could not only take a beating, but he wouldn’t be stopped if he had his mind set on something.

 

“I’ll get you a shirt.” Shinra said, exiting the room.  
  
[ You really shouldn’t push yourself. You’re injured. ]  
  
“Ah, I’m fine.”  
  
[ I can’t stop you… but if you start feeling weak, let me know and I’ll bring you back here. ]  
  
[ And at least stay for a little while, just so Shinra can keep an eye on you. ]

 

“If you insist.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_Ten months earlier, Shinjuku_ **

 

 

 

 

 

 

Izaya had spent the better part of the last twenty-four hours in front of his computer, searching for clues. He’d watched the surveillance camera footage from the shops closest to Shizuo’s apartment, tracking the movements of whoever had left the unsanitary parcel on ~~their~~ Shizuo’s doorstep. The man who’d left it was seemingly unaware of the cameras he passed, which is why watching him look over his shoulder in case someone was following him was so humorous.  
  
The man looked vaguely familiar, though Izaya couldn’t remember where he’d seen him before. He was tall and thin, his height and shape resembling Shizuo slightly. That was the only similarity though, as everything else about him seemed different. He appeared almost cowardly, as though he was the type of person who’d prefer to hide than to run.

 

Izaya had managed to track him as he walked several blocks, eventually entering a car with tinted windows. It didn’t take a genius to work out that the license plate was probably a fake, but Izaya looked it up anyway only to have his suspicions confirmed.  
  
He managed to follow the car a short distance until it pulled into an uncover carpark that the cameras couldn’t quite see into. Moments later, five cars pulled out and hurried off into different directions, and it was obvious that the man he tracked had been a passenger in one of them.  
  
Instead of becoming dejected or frustrated, the informant grinned broadly. These people obviously thought they’d gotten the best of him, but they’d forgotten something. Their opponent was Orihara Izaya, and they’d just left a car full of evidence behind.  
  
Izaya grabbed his coat and quickly made his way out of the apartment, hailing a taxi once he reached the street. He preferred the train, but he didn’t have any time to spare. He’d have to make it to that carpark in Ikebukuro before the fools who’d left the car there realised their mistake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You two alone today?” Simon asked Erika and Walker as they entered the sushi bar. The Russians had decided to open the restaurant in case someone needed a place to hide, but few had come in.

 

“Yes! It’s just us this morning,” Erika chirped happily, “Dotachin and Togusacchi are spending “quality time” together.”  
  
Walker pulled a face, “Stop shipping your friends!”  
  
Simon smiled at the two bickering friends in front of him. Seeing two people so relaxed was a welcome change of pace, given how things had been in the city. “Sit, sit. You eat sushi, feel good. Sushi come on ship, so you like.”

 

Erika giggled at the Russian, but was stopped by Walker before she could explain what shipping actually was.  
  
“Have you heard anymore news?”  
  
Simon shook his head, “No news.”  
  
The Russian left his customers to their own devices, walking himself back outside the shop to hound potential customers. It seemed to be a strange thing to do, given the state of the city, but Simon knew that such times called for normalcy. By staying the same as he always was, he could show the world that he was unaffected and maybe inspire a little hope in those around him.  
  
Most of the customers he wrangled were more interested in finding a safe place to rest than they were in sushi, but even that was better than nothing.  
  
Back inside the restaurant, Erika and Walker were having a highly animated argument about something only they could understand. Their sushi had barely been touched due to the intensity of the fight, though a few pointed glares from the white Russian behind the bar reminded them of where they were.  
  
Not that a glare would stop their debate. It was only when their phones buzzed that they stopped their conversation, each staring at the message they’d received. It was a message from a regular Dollars member and appeared to have been sent to everyone on the mailing list.  
  
[ Shizuo and Izaya are back! ]  
  
The message was sent with a photo attached, depicting two men who certainly looked like the infamous duo.  
  
“When did they get back?” Walker asked, staring at the photograph.  
  
“They haven’t.” replied Erika, who had locked her phone in a huff.  
  
“Just look at the photo, they’re right there!”  
  
“It’s not them.” Erika replied, picking at her sushi. “It’s someone cosplaying as them.”  
  
“Why do you think that?”  
  
Unlocking her phone, Erika flicked through her saved photos. “Look at this photo, they’re standing in almost the same way.” She said, sliding her phone toward her blonde companion.  
  
Walker ignored the creepiness that was Erika having photographs of the two men, having already grown used to her fujoshi ways. When he compared the photos, the differences were apparent. The Izaya in the fake photo was taller and slightly bigger, and the Shizuo was shorter with thinner shoulders.  
  
“Are you going to call them on it?” Walker asked.  
  
“Yes, but I’ll talk to Dotachin about it first, just in case.”  
  
The Russian behind the bar felt somewhat relieved at his customer’s conversation, glad that they weren’t easily taken in by rumours. He washed his hands in the sink, and wondered whether the photo was an unfortunate coincidence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ Who was that? ] Celty asked, noting the annoyed expression on Shinra’s face.  
  
“I have a job, unfortunately.” He sighed, walking to his medical bag and inspecting its contents.  
  
[ Whereabouts? I’ll give you a lift. ]  
  
“Really?” Shinra beamed, “It’s at that club, The Blue Orchid.”  
  
[ I think I know where that is… What happened? ]  
  
“I’m not really sure, but Shiki said I’d need enough supplies for eight people.” He fastened his bag, “It might be wrong of me to say, but I’m relieved that something normal has happened. Something that doesn’t involve Shizuo and Izaya.”  
  
Celty nodded, following Shinra to the door. Death and injury, though unpleasant, were an unchangeable fact of nature.  
  
“We’re going out for a little bit,” Shinra called over his shoulder to his guests in the living room, “Don’t go running off while we’re gone!” Without waiting for a reply, the doctor and his lover left the apartment and made their way down to the parking lot.  
  
The drive to the club was a short one, far too short for Shinra’s liking. Celty almost had to pry him off her once they’d arrived, which was quite embarrassing as many men in gaudy suits were watching them.  
  
Shinra greeted them all happily, walking through the back door and into the building whilst Celty remained with her bike. He could already smell a mixture of blood and fear coming from the front room and wondered how many people he’d have to treat.

 

“Kishitani-sensei, thank you for coming so quickly.” A deep voice Shinra recognised as Shiki’s spoke as he entered the dancefloor.  
  
“What happened?” Shinra replied, setting down his bag and making his way to the pile of bodies.  
  
“We’re not too sure yet.” Shiki replied, watching as the doctor searched for pulses.  
  
“Hopefully you’ll have a witness soon.” Shinra said, “Would you mind if your men helped me move the bodies? Celty probably could, but I’d rather not get her involved.”  
  
The Awakusu-kai executive chuckled at the doctor’s protectiveness and waved a hand, signalling two of his underlings to assist the doctor. There were ten bodies in total. Two had quite obviously died nearly instantly, another four had bled out, and four seemed to be hanging on.  
  
Shinra worked quickly, wasting no time in patching up the worst of the victims wounds and instructing his new-found helpers on how they could help.  
  
An hour later, and he’d done all he could with what he had. The victims were stable enough to be moved to an Awakusu-kai safe house, whilst the others had already been taken god only knows where.

 

“So what’s your opinion?” Shiki asked the underground doctor. He had his own theories, but a professional opinion never hurt.  
  
“Well,” Shinra removed his gloves with a snap, placing them into a small ziplock bag he brought along with him. “There were probably two attackers, given the variation in how your men were wounded…”  
  
“Someone with a knife, and someone bare-handed.”  
  
Shinra nodded, knowing exactly how it looked.  
  
Shiki sighed deeply, watching as the clean-up team who had just arrived began to busy themselves with their work. “It’s been made to look like Orihara and Heiwajima.”  
  
“I don’t think it wa-”  
  
Shiki held up a hand, cutting the doctor off. “I said it’s looks like their work, not that it was their work. Orihara is far too… _pragmatic_ for this.”  
  
Shinra chuckled at the apt description, “Shizuo-kun wouldn’t let him do such a thing even if he wanted to.”  
  
“This really is becoming a nuisance though. The Awakusu-kai can’t allow such a thing to happen, it makes us look weak.”  
  
“I might be able to help you find the culprit,” Shinra replied, “I have a feeling that whoever did this also attacked two of my other patients.”  
  
“Other patients?”  
  
“You know I can’t disclose any more than that,” Shinra said, before remembering exactly who he was speaking with, “Being discreet is what makes me valuable, after all.”  
  
Shiki nodded and let the doctor leave. Threats wouldn’t work on him, and the fact he didn’t open up to the yakuza executive was one of the reasons he was so well respected.  
  
  
  


 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shizuo was leaning against the entrance of the hotel, already on his fourth cigarette. He’d bought a new pack from the vending machine nearby, but couldn’t bring himself to return to the room. Guilt, though lessened, was eating him alive.  
  
It didn’t matter what Izaya was up to, or what he wasn’t up to, he’d done something he could never forgive himself for. He thought back to the day he lost his virginity and the unheard promises he’d made. He’d sworn to protect Izaya, to never hurt him even if it killed him. Sure, he still attacked the man and bruised him up a little, but he hadn’t been so close to doing something so permanent.  
  
Even when they were still enemies, he’d never gotten close enough to actually kill the brunette. Hell, if he was being honest with himself, he knew he would have probably stopped at a few broken bones. But this…  
  
Izaya trusted him, even now, even after he’d almost…  
  
Shizuo stomped on his cigarette, desperate to change his line of thought. The idea itself was almost too much to handle and the feelings inside him threatened to boil over. He had no idea how to quell the guilt and deep sorrow within him, with both emotions only worsening as he recalled how nonchalant Izaya had been about it afterward.  
  
Shizuo was the one who was comforted, the one who was forgiven without a second thought. It was almost as if Izaya was that understanding because he’d expected such a thing to happen. It couldn’t be something as insane as trust- who would trust a man with rage issues and enough strength to snap them in half?  
  
It was far more likely that the informant had simply expected such a thing to happen eventually. A sense of dread washed over Shizuo as he wondered whether Izaya would still be in the room when he returned, and he fought the urge to sprint back and check.  
  
“Coffee…” he mumbled, as he walked quickly inside the building and toward the small café. As much as he wanted to return to the room, he’d been asked to bring his lover a coffee and he had to do at least this much right.  
  
He tapped his foot impatiently, fingers fidgeting, as he waited for the warm drink. He almost crushed the cardboard cup when it was handed to him, taking off toward the stairs and mumbling a ‘thank you’ over his shoulder.  
  
He had to get up there and give Izaya his coffee. He had to show him he could still do things that were asked of him and that he wasn’t a brainless animal. He had to prove-  
  
Standing in front of the closed door, he found himself unable to move. What if Izaya really had left? Would Shizuo follow him? Would Izaya run in fear and never allow himself to be found? Could Shizuo live his life without this parasites presence anymore?  
  
He swallowed something thick and heavy, reaching a tentative hand toward the handle. The handle moved slowly, as the blonde barely applied enough pressure to open it, terrified to use his strength. The door creaked open, moving by its own power as Shizuo looked through the growing gap with his heart in his ears.  
  
“Did Shizu-chan get lost?” A snarky voice teased above the sound of a keyboard clicking, “Should I tattoo my phone number on your forehead so passers-by can help you find your way home?”  
  
“Tch,” Shizuo hissed, the relief he felt not making it into the response. Why was Izaya still here? Didn’t he know he was in danger?  
  
“I hope you remembered how I like my coffee,” Izaya teased, “I will send you out for a replacement if it isn’t to my liking.”  
  
“Shitty louse,” Shizuo replied, walking slowly toward the desk, “’Sif I’d do that for you.”  
  
He placed the drink on the desk, too afraid to place it in the outstretched hand directly. Izaya inspected him from the corner of his eye but thought better than to ask, deciding to sample his beverage instead.  
  
“Hmm.” He said, after swallowing. “It’s a little cool.”  
  
Shizuo shrugged. He’d lost sense of time outside the door so it didn’t surprise him. “You’ll live.”  
  
“I actually prefer it a little cooler.” Izaya replied, taking another long sip, “It doesn’t burn as much.”  
  
Shizuo chose not to respond, walking instead to the bed and flopping on top of it. “Going to have a nap. Keep it down.” He said gruffly, his hands covering his face.  
  
Izaya hummed in response and continued his typing, the sound soothing the blonde on the bed. He couldn’t believe that someone would stay after being choked. He couldn’t believe that this annoying coward would risk his own safety by being in the same room as him.  
  
He rolled onto his side so that he could watch the informant as he worked, his eyelids becoming heavy. He wouldn’t hurt him ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter dooonnne! And uploaded on time!
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed it! :D Thank you for reading.
> 
> Edit: Whoa, whoa, whoa. What's this? 200 kudos? You people are crazy! Thank you so, so much for reading! I'm floored that you enjoyed it. <3 I love you all!


	29. Charade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the past, Izaya gets burned.
> 
> In Miyazaki, nothing good happens. In Ikebukuro, Kadota gets an explanation.

**_Ten months earlier, Ikebukuro  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

Izaya was dropped one block away from the car park. The people he was up against might have seemed foolish, but it might be one of the rare occasions where they had luck on their side. He walked around the area quickly, eyes darting over every inch of the place.  
  
After ten minutes, he was assured that there was no sniper waiting for him and made his way into the car park. There were few cars there, which he found strange, but he had no trouble locating the vehicle he was looking for.   
  
He crouched at a distance, checking underneath for any sign of a trap before cautiously making his way toward it. It _seemed_ fine, safe even, but he had this feeling in the pit of his stomach that told him to run.   
  
Ignoring it, he stopped a few feet away from the car and peered in through the windows. The car was spotless, and if he hadn’t known better he’d have assumed it was unused. Feeling slightly more confident he approached the car, spying a folded piece of white paper under the windscreen wipers. It had his name on it.  
  
He plucked the paper with two fingers and pulled it towards him quickly, barely registering the soft _clink_ that sounded, too focused on the clear piece of fishing line running from the note to the bonnet of the car.  
  
“Shit!”  
  
He dove under the car next to him as flames licked his sides. He could smell burning hair and slapped his head repeatedly, feeling like an idiot once he realised the fur trim of his coat was scorched. He could feel the fire beside him growing and crawled out from beneath the car, sprinting for the exit.  
  
He didn’t want to die in what could likely become an explosion, and he really didn’t want the police to find him there either. Sprinting, he ran until he reached Shizuo’s flat and just about kicked the door down in his panic. Shizuo wasn’t there, fortunately, but his beast had once again forgotten to lock the door.  


Izaya fell to the floor and caught his breath, eternally grateful that no one would ever witness his moment of panic. He’d underestimated them and they’d known exactly what he’d do, and that was infinitely more terrifying than any burning car.  
  
It wasn’t until he caught his breath and pushed the hair out of his eyes that he noticed the crumpled up note in his hands. Frowning, he unfolded it, almost dropping it in shock.  
  
It was a photograph, black and white and printed on printer paper. It had been taken three days ago, which was the only time Izaya had ever kissed Shizuo goodbye at the door when he left for work. On the bottom was a neatly written note. Two simple sentences that made the informant both sick to his stomach and worried for Shizuo’s safety.  


_“You two are cute. Did he let you choose a safe word?”_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sound of keys being tapped softly brings Shizuo out of his slumber and back to the world of the living.  
  
“…time is it?” He mumbles.  
  
“You’ve been snoring for at least two hours now.” Izaya replied, not bothering to glance at his beast.  
  
“Ah.” Shizuo pushes himself up and stretches his arms over his head until a faint crack is heard. “You had a break yet?”  
  
“I don’t get to take a break.”  
  
“Are you hungry?”  
  
“I just said-”  
  
“Yeah, no breaks.” Shizuo says, rising to his feet and closing the small distance between them, “I can bring you something though.”  
  
“I’m fine.”  
  
“How about something to drink? Another coffee?”  
  
Izaya sighed heavily, “No. I’m fine. Just let me work.”  
  
Shizuo looked at his feet, trying to hide his disappointment. Izaya had promised that he’d have him for the whole week, but he’d already disappeared once and now he was stuck in his work. Even if it was for Kasuka’s sake, he couldn’t help feel neglected. He needed a distraction to take his mind off it.  
  
“Alright, I’ll leave you alone.” He replies, looking around the room for inspiration. He finds it in the form of one of Izaya’s cell phones. “How about I use one of your phones then? I wouldn’t mind giving Tom-san a call.”  
  
“I don’t have his number.” Izaya snapped, fingers still dancing across the keyboard.  
  
“Huh? Yeah you do.”  
  
“I don’t.”

  
“You sent him a text last week for me.”  
  
“Must have been a different phone.”  
  
“You used the blue one.”  
  
“Then it was a different Tom-san.”   
  
“What?” Shizuo almost laughed at the ridiculousness of that answer. “C’mon Flea, I won’t look through your shit. You can even dial it for m-”  
  
“No!” The typing stopped and Izaya finally looks at him. “You’re on holiday, you can’t be running off to your senpai because of a little boredom. You aren’t a child, so just enjoy your fucking break.”  
  
Shizuo gaped at him, unsure of how to react. Izaya never swore unless he was yelling, but that sentence was spoken in a calm, composed voice. It was frightening.  
  
“Look… I’m sorry.” Izaya said after a moment in a gentler voice, “I won’t be long, okay? Can you wait a little longer?”  
  
Shizuo just nodded and walked to the bathroom. He leaned against the door once it closed, not daring to breathe until he heard the typing resume.  
  
There was something wrong and he had no idea what. Izaya had been acting strangely, but that last conversation… Izaya had cursed so calmly it had scared him, but what had come after made him cold to the bone. Izaya never apologises for anything, ever, and just hearing it said with such sincerity…  
  
Shizuo ran a hand through his hair. Something was definitely wrong, and he needed to find out what it was.  
  


  


 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Awkward could not begin to describe how Kadota felt. Once Shinra and Celty had returned home, he’d been asked if he minded speaking to someone about his attack. Shinra had assured him that whoever it was could help and both Kadota and Togusa had both agreed immediately.   
  
What Shinra hadn’t said, of course, was who the interested party was, which led to an awkward dinner table. Togusa was obviously afraid but had managed to look brave, no doubt praying to Ruri-san for help. Across from Kadota sat the Red Demon he’d already met, who was grinning like a fool beside a man named Shiki. Shiki radiated danger, though he seemed to be a calm person which helped Kadota relax just a little.  
  
Behind Shiki stood three body guards, each with a dirty look on their face as if they had something to prove. One in particular was currently having a staring contest with Kadota, clenching and unclenching a fist as he watched him. Kadota sighed and looked away, not having the energy to have a pissing match with the body guard.  
  
“So, now that we all know each other, would anyone like some tea?” Shinra said, breaking the silence in a voice that was far too happy for this situation.   
  
“Coffee would be nice.” Akabayashi spoke after everyone else had declined, and Shinra walked off to the kitchen to fetch him a drink. The Demon turned his attention back to the two young men at the table, “Didn’t I tell you two to keep out of trouble ‘til Orihara gets back?”  
  
Kadota chuckled slightly, though there was no humour in it. “It did look like he was back.”  
  
“Oh?”  
  
“Cream and lots of sugar, right?” Shinra interrupted, walking back to the table with two mugs.  
  
“How’d ya know?” Akabayashi grabbed the mug and took a long sip, “Tastes great.”  
  
“I just figured that since you’re so ch- ow!”   
  
[ Please ignore Shinra. ] Celty interrupted, still cautious after seeing how violent Akabayashi could become.   
  
Akabayashi dismissed it with a smile and a wave of his hand, “Being called childish makes me feel young again.”  
  
“You said that it looked as though Orihara was back.” Shiki interrupted, no longer feeling patient.  
  
“Uh, yeah.” Kadota replied, “It wasn’t them though, it just looked like them.”  
  
A raised eyebrow implored him to continue, and Togusa decided to take over. “I can’t remember everything, but we saw two men in an alley. One was a blonde bartender, the other was a short guy with a fur coat. So we pulled over and tried to talk to them, but they ended up tasing Kadota and knocking me out.”  
  
“How do you know it wasn’t them? Did you see their faces?”  
  
“I didn’t, but it definitely wasn’t Shizuo-san.” Togusa smiled bitterly, “If he’d been the one to punch me, I wouldn’t have just passed out.”  
  
There was a moment of silent understanding around the table. It was true that no matter how much the Monster of Ikebukuro tried to reign in his strength, anyone on the receiving end of that punch would lose teeth and learn to fly.  
  
“When I woke up,” Kadota interrupted, “I saw their faces, well, some of them. They were wearing surgical masks but I could tell it wasn’t them. Shizuo wouldn’t… he wouldn’t cut me or anyone, he hates violence.”  
  
“It wasn’t Orihara who cut you?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“Kishitani-sensei, what is your opinion on all of this?” Shiki asked, turning his head to the doctor.  
  
“As their friend and as a doctor, I’d have to agree and say it isn’t Shizuo-kun or Izaya-kun.” Shinra replied happily, “But you knew that already.”  
  
Shiki nodded and shared a look with Akabayashi. “We need to put a stop to this quickly. I believe that the Courier has informed you of our conversation?”  
  
[ Only Shinra. I haven’t told anyone else. ]  
  
“Probably wouldn’t hurt to let these kids in on it, y’know.” Akabayashi said, “Since they’re already caught up. Might as well let ‘em know who beat them.”  
  
Shiki gave Akabayashi another pointed look, “Courier, do you agree with Akabayashi?”  
  
Celty fumbled with her PDA [ I don’t know… It’s not up to me but I don’t think it would hurt. ]  
  
Shiki sighed and signalled for his bodyguards to leave the room. “This conversation stays between us, understand?”  
  
After a few enthusiastic nods, Shiki felt comfortable enough to continue.

“Suzuki and Watanabe, two men working for a man named Sato, were probably the ones who attacked you.” Shiki said, “Of course, those aren’t their real names. Suzuki is some sort of doctor, though he specialises in torture these days. Watanabe is more violent though, and Sato’s right hand.”  
  
“So, Suzuki was pretending to be Shizuo, and Watanabe was Izaya?”  
  
“It would be the other way around actually, given their appearances. From what Orihara had told us about those two, it’s safe to assume that Suzuki was too nervous to torture anyone and Watanabe was forced to take over.”

“Izaya knows.” Kadota stopped and corrected himself, “Of course he knows.”   
  
“Yes, he does. In fact, he has firsthand experience. I believe Heiwajima does as well.”  
  
Seeing the confused looks on Kadota and Togusa, Shinra decided to step in. “Do you remember asking about how those two ended up getting together?”  
  
The young men nodded, not quite following along.  
  
“Well, Sato was the one who kidnapped them.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_A year and a half (and two weeks) earlier  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

  
When Izaya wakes up he remembers to keep his eyes closed, making sure to take advantage of all his senses to figure out where he is. The first thing he takes note of is the dull ache in his limbs and the sharp pain on the back of his head.  
  
_‘Ah, that’s right… I’ve been kidnapped.’  
  
_ He manages to keep his face straight for now, not giving into the feeling of amusement. His kidnappers had been anything but original and it would have been too easy to escape (had he wanted to). The second thing he notices is that he seemed to be restrained, strapped to a cold metal table. It reminds him of Shinra and he suddenly feels less amused by his position.  
  
“Orihara-sama, are you awake?” A male voice asks, “You’ve been asleep for an awfully long time.”  
  
Izaya opens his eyes with a smirk, “How rude of me, I usually try to stay awake during kidnappings.” Turning his head to the left, he can see the only other person in the room. ‘ _Brunette, approximately 178cms tall, broad shoulders, cheap casual wear, sharp features…_ ’ “You’re Suzuki-sensei, correct?”  
  
The doctor looked at Izaya with a mixture of confusion and fear. “T-that’s… yes. How did you-”  
  
“I’m an information broker, Suzuki-sensei. I know almost everything.” Izaya replied, soaking in the doctor’s reaction. “How’s your wife been? Is she still seeing that neighbour of yours?”  
  
“Wh-what?”  
  
“Oh, she hasn’t told you yet.” Izaya said in what sounded like an apologetic voice, “Forget I said anything.”  
  
The doctor took a step backward and hit the desk behind him. The jolt seemed to let him regain some of his senses, and he pulled something small out of his pocket and pressed a button. A few minutes later the door opened, and a shorter man walked in.   
  
‘ _Around 174cms tall, average build, average face, average clothing, average features…_ ’ “Well, I must be special for you to come all the way down here, Sato-san.”  
  
The man, Sato, smiled pleasantly in return. “Thank you for joining me, Orihara-san. I hope we haven’t troubled you much.”  
  
“Oh, not at all.” Izaya replied happily, “Though, I must say it’s bizarre to wake up in your home, strapped to a table when you haven’t even bought me dinner first. I had no idea you thought I was so cheap.”  
  
“I had no idea you thought so much of yourself. I’m afraid I’d never bring you home.”  
  
‘ _If we aren’t at his house, that means we’re at one of the facilities. A converted warehouse, perhaps._ ’ “Do I at least get to pick a safe word?”  
  
Sato laughed softly, “I’m truly flattered that you’d offer yourself to me, but I’m afraid I’ll have to decline.” He looked pointedly at the doctor quivering in the corner, “Shall we begin?”   
  
The doctor walked toward the bed hesitantly, as if he were afraid Izaya might bite. It was at that time that the informant noticed the small metal table beside him covered with a cloth.   
  
“It’s unfortunate that we have to meet under these circumstances.” Sato said, approaching the foot of Izaya’s table-turned-bed as the doctor selected his tools, “In another world, we might have become friends.”  
  
“I had no idea you thought so much of yourself.” Izaya teased, echoing Sato’s own words, “Just because I like humans doesn’t mean I like you personally.”  
  
Sato frowned slightly and Izaya’s smile widened. ‘ _I can see you._ ’  
  
Not even the blinding pain in his chest was enough to wipe Izaya’s smile away, and he almost enjoyed the pain. Not only was this a first-hand look at human’s being so very human, but he felt as though he’d won some sort of battle.  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mikado sighed heavily, sprawling himself across the thin futon in the centre of his home. He had been home for a few hours, allowed to leave the sight of the underground doctor on the condition that he not do anything too ‘dangerous’.  
  
Celty had dropped him home and helped him up the steps to his apartment. She’d been kind enough to form a pair of crutches from her shadows for him, but he was too clumsy to use them properly. After agreeing to daily check-ups, she’d reluctantly left him to his own devices.  
  
_Zrrt-zrrt  
  
_ He ignored his phone yet again, not feeling confident enough with himself to check the hundred or so new messages he’d received from members of the Dollars. He didn’t know what to do or what to tell them after the post he’d read the night before. He felt guilty and lost, and for the first time in a while, like a child. He just didn’t _know_ what to do and he once again wished that he could ask Izaya for advice.  
  
Mikado reached out for his phone, half tempted to try calling the informant again but thinking better of it. He couldn’t rely on others to fix this, not when he was the leader so many unknowingly looked to for help. He grabbed his phone with one hand and rolled onto his side, slowly raising himself up. He had to get to the computer and just do whatever felt right.  
  
It was slow, but after some minutes of muttered curses and gasps of pain, he made it. He turned his computer on and watched as the screen brightened, still not confident enough to check his phone just yet.  
  
_Zrrt-zrrt.  
  
Zrrt-zrrt.  
  
Zrr..Zrrt-zrrt._  
  
The messages were becoming more frequent and Mikado reluctantly checked his phone.   
  
[ They’re really like zombies! ]  
  
[ They keep getting back up… ]

  
[ Fuck what the police said, just hit their head! ]

  
[ There’s too much blood… Someone help me! ]  
  
[ Shit, she’s still moving! ]

 

[ Where are you? ]

 

[ I don’t know! I don’t know! Fuck! ]  


[ Can you get to Russia Sushi? Simon can probably stop them! ]  
  
[ Hello? ]

[ Are you there? ]  


[ Answer us! ]

 

[ You don’t think… ]

**[ What’s going on? ]**

[ Is that the founder? ]

 

**[ Yes. What’s happening? ]**

 

[ We… don’t know. ]

 

[ Some of those zombie guys caught him fighting and attacked him… ]

 

[ Everyone got slashed but he got away, but… ]

 

[ What should we do? ]

 

[ Maybe we could see if we can find him?]  


[ I don’t want to go out there. ]  


  **[ Don’t do anything yet. Stay inside. ]**

[ Why should we listen to you?]  
  
  


Mikado stared at the screen and couldn’t come up with an answer. Sighing, he put his phone on the desk gingerly and opened a browser on his computer. Before he made any decisions, he’d have to investigate further. Knowledge is power, and he’d be even weaker without it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_Nine months earlier, Ikebukuro  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

 

Izaya isn’t used to feeling. He’s a man who does what he likes when he likes, and he hates nothing more than losing. This, he tells himself, isn’t losing. He’s simply adapting to the situation and doing what he must to ensure victory.  


That thought isn’t quite as comforting as it could be though, and he’s found himself pacing outside Shizuo’s rundown flat for a number of minutes. He doesn’t want to break up and lose whatever it is he has with the blonde. He doesn’t want to stop visiting, stop touching, stop being near Shizuo but he hasn’t found an alternative yet.

  
It’s not as if he hasn’t tried to either. In the last month, he’s done nothing _but_ think and his body has begun to suffer. He forgets to eat and drink, spending hours more in front of the computer than any person ever should. Even Shinra has been concerned about him, unexpectedly visiting him once or twice after hearing about it from Shizuo.  
  
For the first time in a long time, it hurts for him to lie. He doesn’t feel guilty about misleading his friend or Shizuo, but he desperately wants to talk about it with someone. Maybe someone else could have the solution and he just can’t see it because he’s too close.  


No, he’s just making excuses and delaying the inevitable. Izaya stops his pacing and takes a deep breath, closing his eyes and attempting to calm down. With his eyes still closed, he counts the steps as he walks to the almost-broken door, knocking once out of habit before turning the handle.  
  
He opens his eyes once he’s inside, immediately locating Shizuo. It isn’t hard to, considering how small this place is, and it almost destroys his resolve when he sees deep brown eyes smiling at him in welcome.   
  
‘ _There’s no other alternative._ ’  
  
Shizuo doesn’t seem to suspect anything, his attention being returned to the pot on the stove in front of him as he stirs its contents. Izaya walks a few steps toward the kitchen, stopping at least four feet away from Shizuo.   
  
“Shizu-chan.”  
  
“What?” Shizuo stops stirring and glances up at the brunette.  
  
“Shizu-chan, it’s time we stopped this charade.” Izaya almost winces at how corny that sounds and hopes he inserted the right amount of smugness. Shizuo wouldn’t give him up without a fight (verbally and physically), and he knew he’d have to make it hurt.  
  
“Charade?” Shizuo asks as his brows knit together in confusion. “You mean like an act?”  
  
“Very good, Shizu-chan.” Izaya says in the most condescending way possible.  
  
“Tch, it’s just an apron flea.” Shizuo turns his attention back to the pot and Izaya notices for the first time what he’s wearing. “I’m not acting or anything, it’s just that this keeps spitting at me and I don’t want to mess my clothes up.”  
  
Izaya stares at his boyfriend, unable to process what just happened. This wasn’t how this was supposed to go, and once again Shizuo is doing something unexpected.  
  
“An apron…” Izaya repeats softly before he begins to laugh. It’s too much, really. Shizuo is just too… Shizuo and Izaya never had a chance. Taking a few steps backward, he hits the back of the couch and topples over, landing awkwardly on the other side.  
  
“Shit, Izaya!” Shizuo curses, hurrying out of the kitchen and toward his deranged boyfriend. He peers over the back of the couch and tries to understand what’s happening. “The fuck are you laughing about, huh?”  
  
Izaya shakes his head and covers his mouth with his hands. Shizuo sighs heavily and climbs over the couch after him, and Izaya begins to giggle again. “Why would you climb over?”  
  
“You didn’t walk around so why should I have to, eh?” Shizuo lays down beside him and watches him with a concerned look, “You alright? You’re acting weird- well, weirder than usual, I mean.”  
  
Izaya nods in return and shifts his body so that he’s slightly closer to Shizuo.  
  
“Shitty flea, you’re always lyin’.” Shizuo replies, not believing Izaya for a second. He doesn’t move away or say anything more though, deciding that Izaya will tell him whatever it is eventually.

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                      

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was useless, really. Nothing Izaya had found so far would help bring the chaos in Ikebukuro to an end any sooner than he’d already predicted. The only options he had at this point were to either leave the city alone to bleed out for a while longer, or to return earlier than he had wanted and allow-

 

Nope. Not happening.

 

Somewhere in the back of his head, he knew that Shizuo had been in the bathroom hiding for quite a while. It was annoying Izaya, that Shizuo could be so perceptive at a time like this. If only he’d be a little more stupid, none of this would be that difficult. Or maybe if Shizuo just trusted him a little, he could tell him what was happening and they could fight it together.  


‘ _But then he’d become boring._ ’  
  
Groaning loudly, Izaya let his head fall and smack the keyboard, causing a loud series of warning noises to echo throughout the room.

 

“Oi! Get up!” Shizuo almost yelled over the sound of the bathroom door flying open. Izaya mumbled something in return but made no other movements. “Shit, Izaya. What is it with you and falling asleep everywhere _but_ in bed?”  
  
Strong and kind hands gripped the brunette’s shoulders, carefully raising him from the desk and back into a sitting position.  
  
“Shizuo…”  
  
Shizuo’s hands gripped thin shoulders a little more tightly. It was the first time Izaya had ever said his name without making it sound dirty and sexy, and Shizuo started to panic once again.  
  
“Izaya, are you-”  
  
“Don’t let me go, okay?” Izaya mumbled, flopping toward the blonde suddenly.

 

Shizuo tensed immediately but managed to wrap his arms around Izaya just a little. ‘ _What the fuck? What do I do? Is he sick? Did he get a virus? Could he get something like that from a computer? Fuck, that’s stupid. Think, think, think!_ ’  
  
“Shizuo…” Shizuo tilted his head down a fraction, struggling to hear what Izaya was saying. “Can you try to trust me? Just this once?”  
  
The blonde was torn. Izaya was… not Izaya right now and he didn’t know how to handle himself in this situation. He wanted to scream at the informant, tell him just how impossible it is to trust a louse like him and maybe even throw the bed at him. He wanted a cocky smile to find its way back to Izaya’s lips, and something clever but devastating to slip from his tongue.  
  
He didn’t _know_ this person in his arms and Shizuo was terrified. He tightened his grip just a fraction without realising and swallowed something heavy. “Izaya, what’s going on?”  
  
Izaya furrowed his eyebrows just a fraction, as if he was confused by the question. A second later and he was pushing himself away from the muscular chest and chuckling softly. “Nothing, Shizu-chan.”  
  
“Izaya-”  
  
“I think I need a coffee, it looks like I fell asleep.” His voice became a little stronger with every word, but it wasn’t enough to convince Shizuo.  
  
“Always lying, flea.” He mumbled, and Izaya smirked. This was the way it always went, and he knew Shizuo wouldn’t ask any more questions.   
  
“Where did you get the coffee from earlier?” He asked, pushing himself out of his chair.  
  
“Tell me.” Shizuo replied, standing firm and refusing to budge. “Tell me what’s going on.”  
  
“Nothing is. I’m not doing anything Shizu-chan.”  
  
Shizuo ground his teeth and forced himself to look at the small marks on Izaya’s neck, a reminder of what could happen if he doesn’t keep his anger under control. “Look. I get that, you’re not doin’ anything.”  
  
“Then there’s nothing to talk about.”  
  
“Doesn’t mean that nothin’ is going on though.” Shizuo continued, “You run off and don’t come back until the next morning, you’re having secret chats with my brother, you won’t let me talk to Tom-san…”  
  
“I’m not _stopping_ you.” Izaya snapped back. “Is it my fault your phone is broken and you can’t remember his number?”  
  
“Do you think I’m that stupid? Huh?” Shizuo fisted his pants in an effort to keep them by his sides, “Tell me what’s going on!”  
  
“Nothing is! Stop being so paranoid!”  
  
“So if I walk out that door right now you won’t stop me from goin’ back to ‘bukuro?”  
  
“What are you going to do, walk?” Izaya scoffed, “We both know the only reason you could come on this trip was because _I_ paid for it.”  
  
“I’ll borrow money if I have to. Fuck it!” Shizuo pulled himself away and made for his suitcase, throwing things in at random.  
  
“You can’t be serious…”  
  
“…”  
  
“Shizu-chan, stop.”  
  
Shizuo ignored him, choosing to step on the disorganised contents of his suitcase instead in an effort to make everything fit.  
  
“Stop!” Izaya repeated, walking toward the brute and grabbing his arm. “You can’t go!”  
  
Shizuo ripped himself away from Izaya and took a step backward. “Why? Who the fuck would want to stay here with _you_?”  
  
Izaya’s mask fell, an expression similar to a scolded child’s revealing itself. It hurt, more than it should have and more than the fingers around his throat earlier that day ever could and for once in his life Izaya couldn’t think of what to say.  
  
“Who would want to stay somewhere they’re not wanted, huh?” Shizuo continued. He was no longer yelling, but that somehow made it harder to listen to. “Why should I stay here if you’re just going to keep shit from me, shit that’s obviously fucking with your head? You asked if I can trust you, but how can I do that if you can’t trust me?”  
  
“Shizu-chan-”  
  
“What? It’s not like it ain’t true!” Shizuo’s entire body shook and he let himself fall onto the bed, hands covering his face. “You can’t even trust me not to… not to hurt you.”  
  
Izaya watched helplessly as Ikebukuro’s Monster, and quite possibly the strongest person on the face of the planet, fell apart completely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was... hard to write.
> 
> It's getting a bit more difficult to write this as time goes on (because Izaya and Shizuo are such fools) but I hope it was enjoyable nonetheless. I'm guessing that most of you already knew who Sato was, but I'm glad I finally had a chance to drop that plot-bomb in there.
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading! :D


	30. It's a chalet, not a cabin.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In Miyazaki, it's not a cabin.
> 
> In Ikebukuro, there's laughter.

**_One hour from now, Miyazaki  
  
  
_ **

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Orihara Izaya, reborn!  
  
**

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

Orihara Yumcha, this is a surprise. To what do I owe the pleasure?

 

**Orihara Izaya**

No time for pleasantries. Tell me where we can go.

 

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

Is that how you ask for a favour?  


**Orihara Izaya**

I don’t have time to do this today. Just tell me what I need to know!

 

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

I take it they found you again?

 

**Orihara Izaya**

 

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

Are you with Shizuo?

 

**Orihara Izaya**

What does that matter?

 

**Orihara Izaya**

Just tell me what I need to know!

 

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

I’ll take that as a yes. I know of a place you can hide, but it probably won’t suit your tastes.  


**Orihara Izaya**

My tastes are quite humble right now.  
**  
  
**

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

I’ll text you the details. For now, pack your things and order a taxi. It’s too far to walk.  


**Orihara Izaya**

Will do.

 

**Orihara Izaya, confirmed dead!**

**Tsukumoya Shinichi**

Well, that seems a little inappropriate given the situation.

**Tsukumoya Shinichi’s turn!**  
**Tsukumoya Shinichi’s turn!**  
**Tsukumoya Shinichi’s turn!**  
**Tsukumoya Shinichi’s turn!**

**  
**  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**

“This Sato guy,” Kadota said after the explanation, “He’s trying to kill Izaya?”  
  
“And Heiwajima.” Shiki added as he crossed his legs.  
  
“Why Shizuo?” Togusa asked suddenly, surprising everyone. “What did he do?”  
  
“It doesn’t matter if he did anything. His death would impact the informant the most.” Akabayashi explained, “Both of ‘em made him lose face.”  
  
“That’s no reason to-”  
  
Kadota placed a hand on Togusa’s shoulder, silencing him once again. “What can we do?”  
  
“Keep your head down and let us know anything you find out.” Akabayashi stated, rising from his seat, “Don’t get too involved.”  
  
Kadota tried to object, but was interrupted by Shinra. “He’s right. You’re in no shape to do anything as it is.”  
  
Kadota clenched his fists and looked at the table in frustration. He’d been useless when faced with two of Sato’s men, and he knew he couldn’t do much better in his current state. He only raised his head again when he heard Celty tapping away on her PDA.

[ What will happen if they come home? ]  
  
“I imagine Orihara has a plan, but there’s no way to know how it will end.” Shiki replied, and Celty thought he looked almost sad, “We have to be prepared for anything.”  
  
The table fell into an uneasy silence, only broken once Togusa began to laugh. The rest of the table stared at him curiously, before he was joined by Kadota.  
  
“What’s so funny?” Shinra asked nervously, wondering whether he’d accidentally given the two men expired painkillers.  
  
Kadota was the first to speak, practically wheezing out the words. “Shizuo and Izaya…”  
  
“Yes…” Shinra prompted, not knowing where his former classmate was going.  
  
“Do you think Shizuo would let anyone else beat Izaya up?”  
  
“Or that Izaya would let anyone else kill Shizuo?” Togusa added shakily, “They’re going to be really pissed off when they come home.”  
  
The two men continued to laugh as the words sunk into those surrounding them. Celty’s shoulders began to shake and she typed quickly.  
  
[ Ssshizzuo will be so angry ]  
  
“He’ll probably say something like ‘Are you trying to kill my flea? Then you shouldn’t complain about me killing you!’ and throw a vending machine at them!” Togusa added, sending the three of them into more giggles.  
  
“Oh, don’t forget Izaya!” Kadota wheezed, “He’d hate being saved by Shizuo! He’d say something like ‘Shizu-chan is so romantic!’ and try to make him angrier!”  
  
[ Thheyy’ll jjust endd up ffighhtinng eaacch oootheer!!1 ]  
  
Shinra began laughing after reading Celty’s PDA. “You know, you might be right about that.”  
  
The two yakuza watched as the others laughed, and a very small smile slipped onto Shiki’s lips. “Perhaps the odds are in their favour, then.”

******

Shizuo never cried. He hadn’t let a single tear fall from his eyes in around twenty years. When he was a child, he learned to grit his teeth and bear whatever awful feelings he experienced. Crying, he figured, only made the people around him sad and it never helped him solve anything.  
  
Which is why, when the first hot tears started to pool and trickle down his face, he thought he might be bleeding. He raised a finger and wiped the liquid from his cheek to inspect it, the action only serving to make him feel more helpless.  
  
He was Ikebukuro’s Strongest, yet here he was in a hotel room _crying_.  
  
“F-fuck.” He stuttered out, more tears making their way down the sides of his face. “Shit…’Zaya, don’t look.”  
  
Izaya was frozen to the spot, unable to do breathe or think. This wasn’t how things were supposed to happen. Shizuo was supposed to get angry and blame him, not fall to pieces and hate himself. Izaya didn’t know what to do or how to react.  
  
“Shizu-chan…”  
  
“Oi! I said don’t look!” Shizuo wrapped his arms around his face, trying to hide as much of himself as he could. ‘ _What the fuck, what the fuck, WHAT THE FUCK?_ ’  
  
“Shizu-chan… I didn’t…” Izaya shifted on his feet, still unable to take his eyes off Shizuo. “I don’t know what to do.”  
  
“You don’t have to do anything. Just… stop lookin’ at me.”  
  
“I can’t.”  
  
“I said to STOP IT!”  
  
“NO!”  
  
The room fell into an uneasy silence, Shizuo’s erratic breathing and Izaya’s fidgeting being the only noises to fill the air. Shizuo felt the bed dip slightly and squeezed his arms closer to his face.  
  
“Shizu-chan is stupid.”  
  
“Oi!” Shizuo objected, more out of habit than indignation.  
  
“Shizu-chan is always worried about hurting me, even though I’m the one who always hurts Shizu-chan.”  
  
“That’s no-”  
  
“Shizu-chan would never hurt me. Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t.”  
  
Shizuo moved his arms slightly and opened his eyes, peeking through the gap in his forearms. “I could’ve killed you this mornin’, flea.”  
  
“But you didn’t.”  
  
“That’s because Kasuka called.”  
  
Izaya laughed, but it came out sounding bitter. “That’s an excuse. You didn’t want to kill me. Or do protozoans have bad memories?”  
  
“What are you talking about?” Shizuo murmured, slightly annoyed by the insults.  
  
“How long have we been fighting now? It’s almost ten years, and you never managed to…” Izaya turned, his eyes finding Shizuo’s peeking through the gap. “You never caught me, because I knew you’d kill me if you did.”  
  
“What’s that got to do with anything?” Shizuo asked, “All that means is that you’re an idiot who let himself get caught this time.”  
  
“Shizu-chan really is an idiot.”  
  
“Oi! Stop saying that!”  
  
Izaya chuckled and let himself fall on the bed, landing right beside the blonde. “When you grabbed me, you didn’t look angry. You looked betrayed.”  
  
“What’s that got to do with anything, eh?” Shizuo had become so wrapped up in the conversation, he failed to notice that his tears had begun to dry on his cheeks.

 

“I know you won’t hurt me. Not when you… you know…”  
  
“…do you still as well?” Shizuo swallowed. “Even after that? Do you still, you know…”  
  
“Yeah. I do.” Izaya rolled onto his side and wriggled closer to Shizuo, not stopping until his ear was pressed against a firm chest. “I’m not afraid of you, Shizu-chan.”  
  
Shizuo moved his arms away from his face, placing one around the brunette’s waist. Hearing that sentence made him happier than he thought he ever had a right to be. Izaya might call him a monster, or say that he’s stupid, but none of that mattered because _he wasn’t afraid of him_.  
  
“You’re insane, Izaya.”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“But you really trust me not to hurt you?” Shizuo’s hand moved slightly, ducking underneath Izaya’s shirt and rubbing the skin that lay beneath.  
  
“Don’t make me repeat such awful things.” Izaya replied, subtly moving himself closer.  
  
“I guess I probably should too, then.” Shizuo said quietly, “I don’t think that you’d hurt me.”  
  
“So you’ll trust me?”  
  
Shizuo’s hand stilled for a moment while he thought, resuming once he spoke. “With some stuff, yeah. But you’ve got to tell me what’s going on.”  
  
“I’m not-”  
  
“I know, I believe you. But someone’s doing something, even if it ain’t you.”  
  
“…”  
  
“Izaya?”  
  
“…”  
  
“Oi! Stop pretending to be asleep!” Shizuo rolled on top of Izaya, straddling his waist and grabbing his wrists, pinning them to the mattress above his head. “Can’t just do that every time, flea! Hey, what’s with your face?”  
  
“Shut up!” Izaya spat, though the words were a stark contrast to his expression.  
  
“You’re all red.” Shizuo continued, slightly confused “Were you holding your breath or something?”  
  
“No! Idiot!”  
  
“Wait… are you blushing?” Shizuo leaned backward a little so he could see the informant better, “Shit Izaya, I’ve never seen you this red before!”  
  
“Shut up!”  
  
“So cute…”  
  
“Shut up! Shut up!” Izaya yelled, struggling to break free, “Like you can talk, cry baby!”  
  
Shizuo growled, and the tips of his ears turned dark red, “You can’t make fun of someone for crying!”  
  
“Then don’t say I’m cute!” Izaya snapped, “Stop looking at me!”  
  
“I won’t say it if you stop acting like it!” Shizuo snapped back, leaning in until his forehead softly bumped Izaya’s, “How’s this, eh? Now I’m too close to see.”  
  
“Hmph.”  
  
“You’re still cute though.”  
  
“Idi-” Izaya was cut off when Shizuo’s lips crashed into his. The grip on his wrists loosened enough for him to free himself, and he immediately ran his fingers through blonde hair.  
  
Shizuo moaned softly at the feeling, using his own fingers to trace the outline of Izaya’s still-burning face. He broke the kiss just as Izaya began to suck his lower lip, and stared at the flustered man beneath him.  
  
“Izaya…” He whispered, the sound sending a pleasant shiver through the informant, “Izaya, I-”  
  
_Knock, knock, knock._

Both men turned their heads toward the door of their room, glaring at it with an astounding amount of hatred.  
  
“Ignore it.” Izaya whispered, pushing his upper body off the bed. He kissed Shizuo again, who pushed him back into the mattress. There was something in the back of his mind though, something he felt was important.  
  
_Knock, knock, knock._  
  
“Room service!”  
  
Izaya turned his head toward the door and frowned, brain struggling to work as hot, wet kisses trailed along his neck. ‘ _We didn’t order any room service…_ ’  
  
“Shizu-cha-ahh!”  
  
“Ignore it.” Shizuo smirked, “They got the wrong room, they’ll figure it out.”  
  
“But Shizu-”  
  
**_BANG!_**

The door flew open, slamming itself on the wall behind it. Shizuo and Izaya flew off the bed and into a defensive stance. Izaya reached into his pocket for his knife, only to realise it wasn’t there. Shizuo, on the other hand, took a step forward and placed himself in front of the informant.  
  
“Sorry to interrupt.” The intruder said calmly, reaching behind him to pull a pistol from the waist band of his pants. It already had a suppressor attached, and it was clear why.  
  
“You broke into our room.” Shizuo growled, ignoring the gun. “What sort of person breaks into another person’s room without permission? HUH?”  
  
“Shizu-chan, if they asked permission they wouldn’t be breaking in.” Izaya answered, already on auto-pilot as he looked for anything that could help them out of their current situation.  
  
“Shut up!” Shizuo spat, though his eyes didn’t leave the man in front of him. “You just interrupted me and the flea!”  
  
The intruder snickered and shrugged, raising the gun and aiming it at Shizuo.  
  
“BASTARD!” Shizuo cursed, enraged by the nonchalance of the intruder. “BLUE BALLS COULD KILL ME, YOU KNOW!”  
  
The intruder barely had enough time to laugh at the outlandish statement, because everything after it happened very quickly. Shizuo bent at the knees and Izaya leapt onto the bed, both of them missing the first bullet.

The intruder aimed quickly and fired again, but the targets had moved once again. Izaya rolled off the bed and crawled along the floor on his stomach, reaching a hand out toward his suitcase. Shizuo, on the other hand, had jumped high with his knees to his chest, dodging the second bullet.

The intruder began to panic, firing again and again but without his earlier accuracy. Shizuo was the first to make it to him, hitting the hand holding the pistol into the wall. The man let out a painful sounding cry, dropping the weapon from his now bloodied and broken hand.

Shizuo grinned, making himself look like a madman. He stalked a little closer and reached out a hand, getting sliced with the knife the man was holding in his other hand. The beast frowned, taking a step back instinctually. This intruder wasn’t as quick as Izaya, but old habits die hard.

The intruder attempted to advance but was pushed backward toward the door when a small knife found itself lodged in his stomach. Shizuo looked behind him, finding a very angry looking Izaya crouching on the ground with another knife poised and ready.  
  
“Izaya,” he said, ignoring the pained noises coming from the intruder as he backed out of the room. “I think we need to talk.”  
  
Izaya smirked and slowly rose to his feet. “I think we have more important things to worry about, ne?”  
  
Shizuo frowned, looking at his hand. “Bastard cut me.”  
  
“Go clean up and pack your things. We need to leave.”  
  
“And go where?”  
  
Izaya sat at his laptop and opened a browser, “I’ll tell you as soon as I know.”  
  
Shizuo nodded and walked into the bathroom. As much as he wanted to argue, he didn’t want to sound like a hypocrite. He’d promised to trust Izaya, so he’d just have to hope for the best. He rinsed his hand quickly and used a hand towel as a bandage, not wanting to drip blood everywhere.

His suitcase was already half packed luckily, so once he walked back into the main room it took only a few minutes to finish collecting his things. Izaya had already finished, being the organised control freak that he was, and was anxiously checking his phone.  
  
“Ready?”  
  
“Yes, but we’ll be leaving via the balcony.” Izaya stated, rolling his suitcase toward the open doors. “You should go first so you can catch the luggage.”  
  
Shizuo grumbled angrily about not being a packhorse but ultimately complied. He jumped from the balcony to a nearby tree, then climbed the rest of the way down. He’d barely made it before the first suitcase flew toward him.  
  
“Hey!” He yelled out, only just managing to grab it before the second was thrown. Izaya laughed at his reactions before leaping to the tree himself.  
  
Unfortunately, he was a few inches shorter than the blonde and had a little more difficulty finding his way down. Shizuo laughs when Izaya’s foot slips on a narrow branch, forcing a series of curses to escape from his usually calm self.  
  
“If you’re too short, I can just catch you.”  
  
Izaya doesn’t respond in favour of biting his lip in concentration. After a few mental calculations, he drops himself down, falling until his hands grasp the once-offensive branch. One long swing later, and his feet touch the ground.  
  
“I don’t require _help._ ” Izaya finally replies, looking a little too proud of himself. “Grab the luggage, we need a taxi.”  
  
“Tch.”  
  
The pair walk toward the street as Izaya pulls out his phone. It doesn’t take long for them to flag down a taxi, and they both enter the back seat.  
  
“Where to?” The driver asks.  
  
“This address.” Izaya replies, passing the driver his phone so he can read the address.  
  
“Sure thing.” The car pulls away from the curb and the vibrations cause the men to relax a little.  
  
“Where are we going?” Shizuo asks, a few minutes into the drive.  
  
Izaya chuckles a little, “A cabin, Shizu-chan.”  
  
“A cabin?” Shizuo asks, confused. “You hate anything that isn’t five star with internet access.”  
  
Izaya nods, too tired to reply. The trip should only take around fifteen minutes, so he rests his head on Shizuo’s shoulder. He’d hate the cabin later.

 

  


 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anri had been wandering around Ikebukuro aimlessly, trying to figure out how best to help. The violence had lessened somewhat, as a great deal of the perpetrators had either been Saika’s Children or turned shortly after crossing paths with them. A rumbling in her stomach reminded her that she’d barely eaten, and she soon found herself outside of Russia Sushi.

“Anri-chan!” A female voice called out once she walked inside, “Anri-chan! Come sit with us!”  
  
Anri looked around, spotting Erika waving her arms in the air above her as Walker smiled at her kindly. She walked over and took a seat next to Erika, mumbling a quick hello.  
  
“Anri-chan! It’s good to see you!” Erika chirped, and Anri wondered why she was so enthusiastic. They’d seen each other more than they usually did over the last week, after all. “Did you hear the news?”  
  
“News?”  
  
“Apparently there’s a fake Shizu-Shizu and a fake Izayan running around Ikebukuro!” Erika explained, “Do you think they’re really hot and steamy as well?”  
  
“Wha-”  
  
“Maybe they’re in an alleyway right now fu-”  
  
Walker slapped a hand across her mouth before she could finish, “They’re probably replicants!”  
  
“Replicants?” Anri asked.  
  
“From space! They come to Earth and take on the form of other people and take over Earth from the inside!”  
  
Anri laughed a little at the description, “I don’t think they’re replicants… How did you find out about them?”

“There’s a post from the Dollars!” Walker replied, showing Anri his phone. Anri squinted at the picture frowning. These were the men who had attacked Kadota and Togusa earlier, so she tried to commit the photo to memory.  
  
“I see…” Anri said, pushing the phone away. “So you haven’t spoken to Kadota-san?”  
  
Erika pushed Walkers hand away from her mouth, “No, did something happen?”  
  
Anri shook her head quickly, “I-I…”  
  
“Anri-chan, where’s Dotachin?”  
  
“A-at Kishitani-sensei’s a-apartment…”  
  
Erika and Walker exchanged a look and stood abruptly, startling Anri. “We need to go.”  
  
“I’ll pay Dennis.” Walker stated, moving quickly toward the counter as Anri and Erika left the sushi bar. A few moments later, they were joined by Walker who was carrying a takeout container. “Dennis insisted on bringing him food.”  
  
They walked quickly and Anri was forced into a walk/jog behind them to keep up. By the time they made it to the apartment, none of them had said a word.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
The cabin was everything that Shizuo ever dreamed it would be. It was simple and peaceful, with a stream nearby where he could swim. There were very few people around, and the cabin itself (or _chalet_ as Izaya kept insisting) made him feel incredibly calm. It was built out of logs instead of the usual steel and concrete he was used to, and had the circumstances been different, he would have called it romantic.

“I can’t believe things like this still exist.” Izaya sulked, lying on the bed and staring at the ceiling. He was too low to the ground and he suddenly felt quite homesick.  
  
“It’s relaxing.” Shizuo countered, not willing to have his new-found peace taken away from him. “And no one’ll hear us out here.”  
  
“You make that sound like a threat.” Izaya purred as his eyes flicked toward Shizuo.  
  
“Not gonna work, Flea.” The blonde replied, sitting on the floor a good distance from the bed. “We need to talk about why people are trying to kill us.”  
  
“One person.” Izaya pouted, “One person barged into our room with a gun, Shizu-chan. It’s not the end of the world.”  
  
“Doesn’t usually happen to people when they go on holiday though.”  
  
“ _We’re_ not normal people. It’s not a big deal.”  
  
“Izaya…” Shizuo sighed, resisting the urge to roll his eyes, “Tell me what’s going on.”  
  
“You’ll just get angry and ruin everything.” Izaya replied, rolling on his side to better see his beast. “I have everything under control.”  
  
“Tch, doesn’t look like it.”  
  
Izaya actually felt offended for a moment and had to take a breath to calm himself. “It’s not like _you’d_ do a better job, Shizu-chan. This is a situation that requires a steady hand, not a fist.”  
  
“Fist worked alright on the gun though.”  
  
“That’s not the point!”  
  
“Then tell me what the point _is!_ ” Shizuo growled, his anger starting to get the best of him, “Tell me what the fuck is happening!”  
  
Izaya closed his eyes and tried to think. He couldn’t put off involving Shizuo any longer, but he didn’t want him to run back to Ikebukuro either. “Fine. Ask me what you want to know, and I’ll answer you.”  
  
“Can I smoke in here?”  
  
“Huh? No?”  
  
“Right.” Shizuo picked himself up off the floor and walked toward the bed, “Come outside then.”  
  
“I’m comfortable here.”  
  
“I’ll carry you.”  
  
“You’re a brute.” Izaya hissed, reluctantly moving from his position on the bed and following the blonde outside. There was a slight breeze blowing the smell of the stream toward them, and the sun was hiding behind the trees. As much as he hated to admit it, Izaya did agree that the place was certainly peaceful. “What’s your next question?”  
  
“Don’t have one.” Shizuo said, lighting up his cigarette. “Just tell me what’s going on.”  
  
Izaya sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Promise me you won’t run off and try to fix it. I have everything under control.”  
  
Shizuo gave him a pointed look and exhaled smoke, “Can’t. But I’ll try to work with you instead if that helps.”  
  
“Good enough.” Izaya sat on the edge of the wooden porch and faced Shizuo who was standing in front of him. “Do you remember the time I was kidnapped?”  
  
“Which time?”  
  
“The time you were shot.”  
  
“…that happened twice, didn’t it?” Shizuo replied, searching his memory.  
  
“The first time.”  
  
“Oh, when we got together.” Shizuo nodded with a faint smile.  
  
“Well, do you remember why I was there?”  
  
“Hmm… something about police, right?” Shizuo tried, “What ever happened to that guy anyway?”  
  
“I got him arrested.”  
  
“Shit, really?” Shizuo laughed, feeling a little proud of his flea. “That’s good, guy was a psycho.”  
  
“Mmm, he is.” Izaya hummed, “He’s very angry, actually. So angry, that he’s been stalking me for months.”  
  
“I thought you said he was arrested?”  
  
“He was, but he still had people follow me, try to pin a few crimes on me, that sort of thing.” Izaya explained in a bored voice, “It wasn’t anything special, really. However, he managed to get out of prison two months ago.”  
  
“And now he’s trying to get revenge or somethin’?”  
  
“Indeed, it looks that way.”  
  
“What an idiot.” Shizuo laughed, “I kicked his arse once already, no problem doing it again.”  
  
“He wasn’t expecting you to do that last time, Shizu-chan. This time is different.”  
  
“Don’t see how.”  
  
“We’re different, this time. Last time, you didn’t care if I got hurt or not. What will you do if he puts a gun against my head and tells you to stop where you are?”  
  
“Won’t happen.” Shizuo replied, taking a deep drag of his smoke, “Wouldn’t let him get you.”  
  
“But what if he does?”  
  
“He wouldn’t.”  
  
“Shizu-chan, you need to th-”  
  
“Nope.” Shizuo replied, “No point thinking about the impossible. Last time he got you was because you wanted him to, right? So if you don’t want him to, he can’t.”

 **  
** “You’re so simple.” Izaya sighed, “But fine. The point is, he’s dangerous and taking him out could be difficult.”  
  
“He the one who sent that guy today?”  
  
“I imagine so, yes.”  
  
“Right…” he stomped on his cigarette and lit up another, “And he was the reason you ran off the other day?”  
  
“…Yes.”  
  
“Going to tell me why you came back smelling like smoke?”  
  
“It’s not important right now.” Izaya replied, and hoped that Shizuo would drop it. He didn’t really feel like explaining that one today.  
  
“Fine. What’s Kasuka got to do with all of this?”  
  
Fuck.  
  
“Kasuka-kun had a feeling something was happening and wanted to ask me about it.”  
  
“Bullshit.”  
  
“It’s the truth.” Izaya whined, putting on his most convincing look of innocence.  
  
“Did he get hurt?” Shizuo growled, not angry with Izaya but with the situation itself.  
  
“I can honestly say he hasn’t been hurt.”  
  
Shizuo studied Izaya’s face for a few moments. “You’re not tellin’ me everything… but if he isn’t hurt I’ll let it go for now.”  
  
Izaya nodded, happy to have been let off. Shizuo would surely ask for further details later, but by then he will have crafted better answers.  
  
“What can I do then?”  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
Shizuo took a step forward, tilting his head down to watch Izaya’s face. “What can I do to help? Gotta be something.”  
  
“At the moment, do nothing.” Izaya replied, “I’ve got everything under control.”  
  
Shizuo snorted and shook his head, but chose not to make any further comments. Izaya had opened up to him more in the last hour than he ever had before, and he didn’t want his reactions now to dissuade him from doing so in the future.  
  
Izaya pouted anyway, insulted by the sound. “Such a brute.”  
  
Shizuo finished his cigarette and stomped it out before walking back inside the cabin. He paused briefly to kiss Izaya on the forehead, then mumbled something about making food.  
  
Izaya stayed outside a little longer and tried to work out his thoughts. He hadn’t told Shizuo everything, and he’d been sure that once he’d said as much as he did that his beast would run off back to Tokyo for revenge.

It was both pleasing and infuriating that he hadn’t, and Izaya wasn’t sure how to feel exactly. He was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of pots crashing inside and muttered curses and decided to think about it later. Right now, he had work to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was meant to finish the 'day', but that would have been massive /: So there should be another (maybe shorter) chapter up tomorrow :D I can't believe this is the thirtieth chapter already... Would you believe me if I said this was originally meant to be a 40k word story about Shizuo and Izaya going on a harmless holiday? Oh boy...
> 
> Anyway, thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter <3


End file.
